8b 

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Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/potterydecoratioOOmcla 


I 


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POTTERY  DECORATION 


UNDER  THE  GLAZE. 


BY 

m.  louise  McLaughlin. 


CINCINNATI : 

ROBERT  CLARKE  & CO. 
1SS0. 


COPYRIGHT. 

M.  LOUISE  MCLAUGHLIN. 


1880. 


PREFACE. 


T has  been  with  some  hesita- 
tion that  J have  undertaken 
to  write  a manual  on  the 
decoration  of  pottery  under 
the  glaze.  This  feeling  was 


caused  by  the  fear  that  I should  not  be  able 
to  treat  the  subject  in  as  comprehensive,  as  well 
as  comprehensible,  a manner  as  it  deserved. 

Nevertheless,  in  an  experience  of  more  than 
two  years,  chiefly  spent  in  experimenting  on  dif- 
ferent methods  of  under-glaze  decoration,  I 
have  learned  some  things  which  may  be  of  use 
to  others,  and  have  thought  that  a treatise  upon 
the  subject  from  an  unprofessional,  yet  practical 
standpoint,  might  have  its  place  in  the  literature 
of  ceramics  which  has  now  become  so  extensive. 


(v) 


VI 


PREFACE. 


Let  it  be  understood,  however,  that  in  the 
following  pages  there  has  been  no  attempt  to 
deal  with  the  occult  mysteries  of  the  potter’s 
art,  but  simply  to  give  an  account  of  results 
attained  and  facts  acquired,  every  one  of  which 
can  be  vouched  for  as  a record  of  actual  experi- 
ence. 

I would  like  here  to  express  my  sense  of  in- 
debtedness to  the  potters  who  have,  by  their 
courtesy  and  attention,  contributed  to  these  re- 
sults, and  particularly  to  Mr.  Joseph  Bailey, 
Sr.,  of  the  pottery  of  Mr.  Frederick  Dallas, 
whose  intelligent  co-operation  and  valuable  advice 
have  been  of  the  greatest  service. 


Walnut  Hills. 

Cincinnati , May , 1880. 


INTRODUCTION. 


HE  decoration  of  pottery 
under  the  glaze  offers  op- 
portunity forthe  production 
of  work,  beautiful  and  ar- 
tistic in  a high  degree,  and 
in  its  sim 

to  those  who  do  not  aspire 
to  the  higher  art,  a most  fascinating  and  labor-re- 
warding study.  I can  not,  however,  assure  those 
who  wish  to  enter  the  domain  of  decorative  art 
by  this  interesting  road,  that  they  will  find  the 
way  strewn  with  roses.  On  the  contrary,  dis- 
couragements are  likely  to  occur  so  frequently 
that  it  is  only  by  the  exercise  of  a considerable 
amount  of  patience  and  perseverance  that  any 
advance  can  be  made.  But  such  are  the  attract- 

(vii) 


pier  forms  gives 


Vlll 


INTRO  DUCTJ  ON. 


ions  of  the  work  that  its  enthusiastic  votaries 
will  not  be  deterred  from  its  prosecution  by  any 
difficulties  in  the  way,  and  if  immediate  and 
perfect  success  can  not  be  assured,  an  exceed- 
ingly interesting  occupation  will  be  revealed  to 
the  learner,  and  to  the  earnest  worker  can  be 
promised  the  reward  of  faithful  labor. 

I would  like  here  to  insist,  however,  upon  the 
necessity  of  a thorough  and  serious  study  of 
drawing  as  a preparation  for  this  as  well  as  for 
all  decorative  work,  and  to  enter  a most  em- 
phatic protest  against  the  theory  which  seems  to 
prevail  in  some  quarters,  that  any  one  can  paint 
upon  pottery  acceptably.  With  little  prepara- 
tion other  than  the  possession  of  some  colors, 
brushes,  clays,  and  pieces  of  pottery,  the  devotee 
of  art  enters  upon  the  work  of  decorating  (?) 
pottery.  Alas  ! disfiguring  it,  for  it  is  a lament- 
able fact  that  of  the  pottery  now  being  painted 
by  amateurs  (some  of  the  work  by  professional 
decorators  might  also  be  included)  a very  large 
proportion  has  its  value  diminished  rather  than 
enhanced  by  the  work  put  upon  it. 


INTRODUCTION. 


IX 


This  would  not  be  so  frequently  the  case  if 
the  scope  of  the  work  were  limited  to  the  capac- 
ity of  the  worker.  We  see  every  day,  attempts, 
in  which  the  failure  to  reach  the  point  aimed  at 
is  absurdly  obvious,  where,  if  the  effort  had  been 
less  ambitious  in  its  aim,  the  result  would  not 
only  be  less  an  object  of  ridicule,  but  of  far  more 
intrinsic  value. 

In  other  departments  of  human  handiwork, 
some  natural  capacity,  as  well  as  a certain  amount 
of  training,  is  considered  necessary  to  successful 
practice,  but,  in  art,  such  is  the  ignorance  of 
the  general  public,  any  one  is  thought  eligible 
to  the  profession  of  an  artist,  and  much  passes 
under  the  name  of  art,  which  has  no  claim  to 
that  honorable  title. 

I do  not  wish  to  discourage  those  who  are 
willing  to  enter  into  this  pursuit  as  humble,  pa- 
tient learners,  but  to  warn  those,  who  are  eager 
to  obtain  at  once  the  rewards  only  given  to  years 
of  faithful  study,  of  the  futility  of  their  desires. 
It  is  perhaps  idle,  however,  to  warn  or  to  advise 
them.  The  consciousness  of  their  folly  will 


X 


INTRODUCTION. 


only  come  to  them  after  experience,  and  knowl- 
edge  gained  from  failure,  shall  have  given  them 
some  comprehension  of  the  difficulties  which 
their  ignorance  prevented  them  from  seeing. 

In  art,  as  in  all  other  pursuits,  there  is  no 
royal  road  to  excellence,  and  those  who  do  not 
think  it  necessary  to  learn  the  rudiments  before 
attempting  the  higher  branches,  will  learn  to 
their  cost,  if  they  are  capable  of  learning  any 
thing,  that  nothing  was  gained  by  leaving  out 
these  stepping  stones  in  their  progress. 

The  time  is  never  misspent  which  is  devoted 
to  honest,  well-directed  efforts  in  acquiring  the 
art  of  drawing.  The  excuse  so  often  offered, 
that  the  practice  of  the  art  is  only  intended  as 
an  amusement,  and  that  therefore  it  is  unneces- 
sary to  undergo  the  drudgery  of  learning  it 
thoroughly,  is  one  which  is  unworthy.  To  those 
who  offer  it  I would  say,  pray  amuse  yourselves 
with  something  else  rather  than  an  art,  into 
which,  to  obtain  even  an  insight,  demands  the 
best  that  any  one  can  give. 

These  remarks  apply  as  well  to  the  decoration 


INTRODUCTION. 


XI 


of  pottery  as  to  any  other  department  of  art 
work.  Although  from  its  peculiar  nature  and 
various  uses  this  material  yields  itself  to  many 
and  varied  styles  of  decoration,  yet  this  decora- 
tion, however  simple,  must  be  planned  and  ex- 
ecuted according  to  sound  principles,  to  be  of  any 
artistic  value.  The  best  preparation  for  the 
work  of  decorating  pottery,  therefore,  is  a thor- 
ough knowledge  of  drawing  and  an  understand- 
ing of  the  laws  which  govern  all  decorative  art. 
Sources  of  information  upon  these  subjects, 
drawn  from  competent  instruction,  books  and 
periodicals,  are  daily  becoming  more  numerous 
and  accessible,  and  one  who  desires  to  practice 
the  kind  of  decorative  art  we  are  now  consid- 
ering, should  cultivate  his  taste  and  augment  his 
skill  by  these  means,  and  especially  by  close 
study  of  nature  in  all  its  various  forms.  It  is 
only  in  this  way  that  the  student  will  be  enabled 
to  accomplish  work  which  will  be  a source  of 
pleasure  and  profit  to  himself  and  others. 


POTTERY  DECORATION  UNDER  THE  GLAZE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

POTTERY. 

E will  consider  in  this  chap- 
ter some  facts  in  regard  to 
pottery,  which,  although  of 
a very  elementary  character, 
are  not  so  generally  under- 
stood as  may  be  desirable. 
These  facts  relate  to  the 
substances  of  which  pottery  is  composed,  the 
processes  of  its  manufacture,  and  the  methods 
by  which  it  is  or  can  be  decorated. 

Two  chemical  substances,  viz.,  silica  and  alu- 
mina form  the  basis  of  all  pottery  clays.  These 
substances  are  themselves  infusible  (except  un- 
der the  compound  blow-pipe),  but  by  admix- 

(xiii) 


*4 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


ture  with  other  materials  more  susceptible  to 
the  action  of  heat,  they  are  made  useful  to  the 
potter’s  art,  and,  when  subjected  to  a high  tem- 
perature, fuse  and  form  the  hard,  insoluable 
combination  with  which  we  are  all  familiar. 

Porcelain,  and  the  finer  kinds  of  earthen-ware, 
are  made  from  clays  artificially  combined  of  va- 
rious natural  elements,  in  such  a manner  as  to 
produce  the  qualities  desired,  while  the  coarser 
wares  are  generally  made  from  clays  in  a natural 
or  unmixed  state.  These  clays  agree  in  their 
essential  characteristics,  but  contain  other  ele- 
ments which  cause  certain  differences  of  color, 
susceptibility  to  heat,  plasticity,  etc.  The  differ- 
ences, therefore,  which  exist  between  the  many 
kinds  of  pottery  manufactured,  may  be  said  to 
be  due,  not  so  much  to  a diversity  of  the  mate- 
rials used,  as  to  the  changes  produced  by  the 
combination  of  the  same  materials  in  varying 
proportions. 

It  is  unnecessary  that  we  should  here  enter 
into  the  details  of  the  mixture  of  different  pot- 
tery clays,  for  which  each  manufactory  has  its 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


lS 


own  formula.  A few  words,  indicating,  in  a 
general  way,  the  causes  of  certain  easily-recog- 
nizable  qualities,  will  suffice. 

The  peculiar  beauty  and  translucency  of  fine 
porcelain,  is  due  to  an  excess  of  silica,  or  the 
vitreous  element  of  pottery,  in  its  composition. 
This  is  attained  by  the  use  of  kaolin,  a fine, 
white  clay,  produced  through  the  agency  of  na- 
tural causes  in  the  decomposition  of  feldspar, 
which  is  itself  a silicate  of  alumina,  and  one  of 
the  principal  ingredients  of  granitic  rocks.  In 
porcelain,  it  may  be  said,  that  the  proportion 
of  silica  to  alumina  is  about  three  to  one,  and 
the  other  ingredients,  such  as  iron,  potash,  chalk, 
and  soda,  exist  only  in  such  quantities  as  are 
necessary  to  cause  the  fusion  of  the  two  first- 
mentioned  elements.  It  is  fired  but  slightly  the 
first  time.  This  leaves  the  body  of  the  ware 
very  soft  and  porous,  and  upon  the  application 
of  the  glaze  the  latter  is  absorbed  into  the  body, 
and  by  its  action  upon  the  materials  composing 
it,  produces  a translucent  effect. 

We  refer,  here,  to  French  porcelain.  In  the 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


I 6 

manufacture  of  English  china,  the  process  is 

radically  different.  The  last-mentioned  ware  is 

✓ 

sometime  spoken  of  as  “bone  china.”  This 
term  has  reference  to  the  use  of  bones  from 
which  the  lime  required  in  its  manufacture  is  ob- 
tained. This  element  produces  a translucent 
quality  in  the  body  cf  the  ware  independently 
of  the  action  of  the  glaze,  which  in  this  case 
forms  merely  a coating  upon  the  surface  of  the 
previously  hard  baked  body. 

Earthenware  possesses  less  of  the  vitreous 
element,  and  the  first  firing  is  continued  until 
the  ware  becomes  so  dense  that  it  will  not  ab- 
sorb the  glaze,  and  the  body  remains  opaque. 

The  term  pottery,  is  more  strictly  applicable 
to  the  kind  of  ware  last  mentioned.  It  is  to 
this  that  especial  reference  will  be  made  in 
the  following  pages,  in  describing  methods  of 
manufacture  and  decoration. 

Earthenware  is  of  various  colors,  ranging 
from  pure  white,  through  the  cream  white 
and  cream-colored  wares  to  decided  yellow,  and 
lastly  red.  The  clays  can  also  be  artificially 
colored,  and  changes  in  color  are  also  pro- 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


*7 


duced  by  different  degrees  of  temperature  in 
firing.  Ordinarily  the  process  of  firing  pro- 
duces a material  change  in  the  color  of  clay. 
Thus,  a grey-tinted  clay  will  assume  a bright, 
yellow  color,  and  a dull  brown,  green,  or  blue 
will  be  changed  to  a bright  brick-red,  under  the 
action  of  the  fire. 

The  heat  used  in  firing  should  produce  partial 
vitrification.  If  a piece  of  ware  has  not  been 
fired  sufficiently  to  produce  that  effect,  it  is  said 
to  be  “ soft-baked.” 

White  earthenware  requires  the  greatest  degree 
of  heat  in  firing.  In  regard  to  the  wares  made 
from*  clays  retaining  the  colors  produced  by  the 
elements  which  they  contain,  in  a natural  state, 
it  may  be  said  that  the  amount  of  heat  neces- 
sary for  proper  firing,  decreases  with  the 
depth  of  color.  This  rule,  although  it  may 
accurately  indicate  the  temperature  at  which  any 
given  clay  should  be  fired,  is  simply  artificial, 
except  in  so  far  as  the  depth  of  color  shows  the 
presence  of  an  amount  of  foreign  matter,  which 
by  its  action  increases  the  fusibility  of  the  clay. 


i8 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


Red  clay,  being  very  susceptible  to  heat,  is 
commonly  used  as  a test  in  the  firing  of  white 
ware.  The  same  clay  will  change  in  the  process 
from  light  red  to  dark  brown,  and  so  enable  the 
experienced  fireman  to  determine  the  degree  of 
heat  existing  in  the  kiln. 

Clays  should  be  prepared  for  the  making  of 
pottery  by  careful  sifting,  dissolving  in  water, 
and,  as  a final  precaution,  straining  through  sieves 
made  of  fine,  silk  lawn.  In  this  way  all  foreign 
particles  are  removed,  and  the  clay,  having  at- 
tained the  consistency  of  dough,  is  ready  to  be 
molded  into  the  shapes  desired.  This  is  done 
iin  molds  made  of  plaster  of  paris,  or  it  is 
thrown  ” by  the  hands  of  the  potter  on  a turn- 
ing-wheel, or,  again,  by  a combination  of  these 
processes. 

Before  firing,  the  ware  is  said  to  be  in  the 
cc  green  state/’  in  which  condition  it  passes  from 
“ wet  ” to  ct  hard  green,”  and  finally  to  tc  white/1 
when  it  is  ready  to  be  fired.  If  fired  before 
it  has  become  sufficiently  dry,  it  will  be  liable 
to  crack,  or  scale,  from  the  sudden  expan- 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


T9 


sion  of  the  moisture  confined  in  the  clay.  When 
dry,  it  is  placed  in  c<  seggars,”  or  boxes,  made 
of  fire-clay,  which  are  piled  upon  each  other 
in  a kiln,  constructed  for  the  purpose  of  firing 
the  ware. 

D uring  the  process  of  drying  and  firing,  the 
clay  loses  a certain  portion  of  its  bulk.  The 
amount  of  this  shrinkage  varies  in  different 
clays,  but  ordinarily  may  be  said  to  be  about  one- 
eighth.  A piece  of  ware,  therefore,  made  from 
clay  which  exhibits  this  degree  of  shrinkage, 
would  be  one-eighth  smaller  after  firing  than  be- 
fore. The  shrinkage  is  also  modified  by  the 
degree  of  heat  to  which  the  clay  has  been  sub- 
jected in  firing,  and  there  will  sometimes  be  a 
perceptible  difference  in  the  size  of  two  pieces 
of  ware,  made  from  the  same  clay,  and  of  equal 
size  before  firing,  after  having  been  fired  at  dif- 
ferent temperatures. 

The  length  of  time  consumed  in  firing,  varies 
with  the  qualities  of  the  different  wares.  In  the 
manufacture  of  white  earthenware,  the  firing  lasts 
from  thirty  to  forty  hours,  while  the  more  com- 


20 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


mon  kinds  of  ware  require  less  time.  In  kilns 
of  ordinary  size,  a thousand  dozen  pieces  of  ware 
are  frequently  fired  at  once.  Of  course,  consid- 
erable time  is  required  to  place  the  seggars  con- 
taining the  ware  in  the  kiln.  Some  hours  must 
elapse  before  the  kiln  and  its  contents  will  be- 
come cool  enough  to  permit  its  being  opened 
with  safety,  so  that  the  firing  of  hard-baked 
pottery  may  require  two  or  three  days  for  its 
completion. 

The  first  firing  completed,  the  ware  is  said  to 
be  in  the  u biscuit/’  and  is  then  ready  to  be 
glazed.  This  matter  of  glazing  is  a very  im- 
portant one,  and  the  success  of  the  whole  very 
largely  depends  upon  the  manner  in  which  the 
operation  is  performed.  To  insure  a successful 
result  there  must  be  the  nicest  adaptation  of  the 
materials  composing  the  glaze  to  the  body  of  the 
ware.  The  glaze  for  each  kind  of  ware  must  be 
suited  to  its  especial  characteristics,  and  it  can 
therefore  be  imagined  that  the  number  of  glazes 
in  use  is  very  large.  Each  pottery  has  its  own 
glaze  and  the  variety  is  infinite. 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


2 I 


The  glaze  used  upon  the  finer  kinds  of  earth- 
enware consists  of  materials  similar  to  those  of 
which  the  body  of  the  ware  is  made,  with  the 
addition  of  boracic  acid  (a  powerful  flux),  which 
with  a little  lead  renders  the  glaze  fusible.  In 
the  lower  grades  of  ware  a larger  amount  of  lead 
is  used  for  a flux,  and  this  causes  the  glaze  to 
fuse  at  the  comparatively  low  temperature  at 
which  these  wares  are  fired.  A glaze  made  of 
materials  that  fuse  at  an  unusually  low  tem- 
perature is  called  a “soft”  glaze.  Some  glazes 
are  so  soft  that,  when  fired,  they  can  be  easily 
scratched  by  the  point  of  a steel  instrument. 
The  glaze  of  good  and  durable  wares  is,  how- 
ever, so  hard,  that  the  point  of  the  sharpest 
knife  will  make  no  impression  on  its  surface. 

The  materials  of  which  the  glaze  is  made,  are 
combined  in  the  proper  proportions  and  diluted  to 
form  a liquid  of  about  the  consistency  and  the 
appearance  of  cream.  The  piece  of  ware  is  then 
dipped  carefully  into  the  liquid,  and  so  skillfully 
manipulated  that  it  is  completely  covered  with 


22 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


a coating  of  the  glaze  of  the  necessary  thick- 
ness. 

After  having  been  covered  with  the  glaze, 
which,  before  firing,  has  the  appearance  of  an 
opaque  white  paint,  the  ware  is  ready  for  the 
second  firing.  This  is  done  in  what  is  called  the 
“ gloss  ” kiln,  in  which  the  heat  is  not  brought 
to  such  a high  degree  as  in  the  biscuit  kiln,  but 
is  sufficient  to  fuse  the  glaze,  and  cause  it  to 
form  a glassy,  transparent  surface,  which  should 
completely  cover  the  body  of  the  ware,  and  pre* 
sent  an  equally  brilliant  appearance  in  every  part. 

If  the  glaze  is  not  suited  to  the  body  of  the 
ware,  and  does  not  shrink  equally  with  it,  its 
surface  will  soon  present  a network  of  fine 
cracks.  A glaze  in  this  condition  is  said  to  be 
<l  crazed.”  This,  among  potters,  is  considered 
a serious  fault,  and  in  ware  intended  for  cooking 
or  table  use,  is  certainly  very  undesirable. 

Old  Japanese  crackle-ware,  in  which  this  con- 
dition is  a distinguishing  feature,  is,  however, 
much  esteemed,  and  many,  indeed,  the  majority 
of  the  Japanese  earthernwares,  both  ancient  and 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


23 


modern,  display  a surface  of  fine-crackled  glaze, 
which  may  not  be  said  to  detract  from  their  value 
as  articles  of  ornament. 

A similar  effect  is  also  seen  in  old  pieces  of 
glazed  ware  which  have  seen  long  service  as 
cooking  utensils,  in  which  case  it  has  been  the 
natural  result  of  the  usage  to  which  they  have 
been  subjected. 

In  some  modern  wares,  both  French  and  Eng- 
lish, decorated  under  the  glaze,  this  defect  is 
seen.  In  these  cases  it  has  been  caused  by  the 
use  of  a softer  glaze  than  the  body  of  the  ware 
demanded.  This  expedient  has  been  resorted 
to  in  order  that  the  brilliancy  and  beauty  of  the 
colors  might  be  preserved.  These  articles  being 
intended  only  for  ornament,  beauty  is  more  of  an 
object  than  durability,  and  this  defect  of  glaze 
may  be  permissible  as  the  means  of  obtaining 
more  brilliant  effects.  In  certain  methods  of 
decoration  this  may  be  a necessity,  but  these 
cases  are  exceptional  and  experience  leads  me  to 
believe  that  it  is  possible  to  obtain  beauty  of  col- 
oring with  a glaze  which  will  remain  intact.  It 


24 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


is  to  be  hoped,  however,  that  with  the  improve- 
ments in  making  colors  the  time  may  come  when 
it  will  be  possible  to  obtain  colors  which  will  re- 
tain their  beauty  under  the  degree  of  heat  neces- 
sary to  the  production  of  an  article  which  a 
practical  potter  would  call  a perfect  piece  of 
ware. 

Pottery  can  be  decorated  either  under  the  glaze, 
with  the  glaze,  as  in  the  case  of  majolica,  in  which 
the  color  is  effected  by  the  use  of  colored  glazes 
and  in  the  decoration  of  soft  porcelain  ( 'pate - 
tendre ),  where  the  painting  is  executed  upon  the 
unbaked  glaze,  and,  lastly,  over  the  glaze. 
We  will  concern  ourselves  only  with  the  first 
of  these  methods.  A few  words,  however,  may 
not  be  out  of  place  here,  upon  the  differences 
between  over  and  under  glaze  painting,  which 
are  frequently  compared  and  as  frequently  mis- 
taken for  each  other. 

Over-glaze  painting,  as  is  well  known,  is  execu- 
ted upon  the  glazed  surface  of  the  finished  ware 
with  verifiable  colors  having  enough  flux  or  fusi- 
ble material  in  their  composition  to  cause  them  to 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


*5 


fuse  at  a comparatively  low  temperature,  and  so 
become  attached  to  the  glaze.  Under- glaze  deco- 
ration is  effected  by  the  use  of  colors  which  con- 
tain less  flux,  and  consequently  require  a higher 
temperature  for  their  fusion.  It  can  be  executed 
either  upon  the  ware  in  the  cc  green”  state,  or, 
as  is  more  commonly  the  case,  in  the  biscuit. 
These  two  methods  of  painting  differ  materially 
in  their  effects.  Any  one  familiar  with  these 
effects  can  readily  discover  whether  a piece  of 
pottery  has  been  decorated  over  or  under  the 
glaze.  Those  who  are  not  practically  conversant 
with  the  two  methods  can  be  easily  misled,  and 
mistakes  are  frequently  made  by  those  who 
should  know  better,  as  to  the  method  employed 
in  the  case  of  a piece  of  ware  in  question. 

A certain  delicacy  of  tint  and  firmness  of 
outline  characterizes  overglaze  painting,  which  is 
easily  recognized  by  experts,  but  those  who  can 
not  distinguish  between  the  two  methods  by  this 
means  may  ascertain  to  which  class  the  deco- 
ration belongs  by  looking  aslant  the  surface. 
The  glaze  upon  the  painted  portions  of  a piece 


26 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


of  ware  decorated  over  the  glaze,  will  not,  even 
after  the  most  perfect  firing,  equal  the  glaze  upon 
the  uncovered  portions  in  brilliancy,  and  there 
will  probably  be  certain  inequalities  of  surface 
between  the  painted  and  unpainted  parts  which 
will  be  revealed  to  the  touch. 

If  the  decoration  has  been  executed  under  the 
glaze  the  surface  will  be  uniformly  covered  with 
a brilliant  glaze.  Of  the  two,  underglaze  paint- 
ing  is  probably  the  most  difficult,  as  the  colors 
are  more  liable  to  change  under  the  action  of  the 
great  heat  to  which  the  ware  must  be  subjected, 
and  the  final  results  being,  therefore,  somewhat 
uncertain,  can  not  be  accurately  counted  upon, 
until  experience  has  been  gained  from  repeated 
failures.  On  the  other  hand,  overglaze  painting, 
while  not  subject  to  the  changes  produced  by  the 
fire,  to  so  great  an  extent,  is  more  difficult  as 
regards  the  manipulation  of  the  painting  upon 
the  glazed  surface.  The  facilities  for  the  prac- 
tice of  overglaze  painting  are  greater  than  those 
afforded  for  painting  under  the  glaze,  which  last, 
requires  not  only  the  handling  of  an  artist  who 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


27 


has  acquired  facile  use  of  the  brush  and  some  ex- 
perience of  pottery  clays  and  colors,  but  also  the 
assistance  of  an  intelligent  and  skillful  potter. 

Let  us  not,  however,  laud  one  method  of 
painting  at  the  expense  of  the  other.  Both  are 
good  in  their  way,  and  confined  within  their 
proper  limits,  have  beauties  peculiarly  their  own. 
Overglaze  painting  possesses  a delicacy  of  effect 
and  a variety  of  color  which  the  underglaze  deco- 
ration can  not  rival.  The  latter  is,  however,  the 
most  artistic  as  well  as  the  most  effective,  and 
lends  itself  more  readily  to  the  uses  of  decora- 
tive art  and  to  the  modern  taste  in  color. 

It  is  this  latter  method  of  decorating  pottery 
which  we  will  now  consider  in  some  of  its  various 
forms. 


28 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


CHAPTER  II. 

COLORS  FOR  PAINTING  UNDER  THE  GLAZE. 

OLORS  for  painting 
under  the  glaze  are  spe- 
cially prepared  for  the 
purpose  from  various 
metallic  oxyds.  As 
mentioned  in  the  pre- 
vious chapter,  the  col- 
ors used  under  the 
glaze  have  less  flux  or  fusible  matter  in  their  com- 
position than  those  used  for  painting  overglaze: 
this  is  necessary,  because  in  the  former  the  colors 
are  expected  to  bear  a much  greater  degree  of  heat 
in  firing  than  in  the  latter.  They  are  so  prepared 
as  not  to  fuse  except  at  the  temperature  required 
in  the  manufacture  of  the  pottery  to  which  they 
are  applied.  The  variety  of  underglaze  colors  is 
less  than  that  to  be  found  in  overglaze  colors,  as 


COLORS  FOR  PAINTING  UNDER  GLAZE.  2() 


the  oxyds  from  which  colors  may  be  made  which 
will  stand  so  great  a degree  of  heat,  are  few  in 
number. 

The  oxyds  from  which  the  colors  are  prepared 
are  called  the  bases  of  these  colors.  The  colors 
used  in  underglaze  painting  are  made  from  the 
following  bases  : 

Blue  from  the  oxyd  of  cobalt.  Co.  O. 

Green  from  the  sesquioxyd  of  chromium. 
Cr2.  O3. 

Browns  from  the  sesquioxyd  commonly  called 
the  peroxyd  of  iron,  Fe2.  O3.,  and  from  the  ses- 
quioxyd of  manganese.  Mn2.  O3. 

Yellow  from  the  compound  of  titanium  with 
oxygen,  called  titanic  acid.  Ti.  O2. 

Black  from  the  oxyd  of  uranium. 

Red  from  the  suboxyd,  or  red  oxyd  of  copper. 
Cu2.  O. 

We  may  add,  upon  the  authority  of  M.  De- 
bette,  that  c<  pure  black  is  obtained  by  taking  i 
part  of  oxyd  of  uranium  diluted  in  22  parts  of 
glaze;  ordinary  black  with  oxyd  of  manganese 
or  oxyd  of  iridium  ; bluish  black  with  a mixture 


30 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


of  oxyd  of  cobalt  and  of  manganese,  and  smoky- 
grey  with  chloride  of  platinum.  Rose  is  ob- 
tained by  diluting,  in  glaze,  gold  which  has 
been  dissolved  in  aqua  regia.  For  the  blues, 
oxyd  of  zinc  and  alumina  may  be  mixed  with  the 
oxyd  of  cobalt.  For  greens  may  be  mixed  oxyd 
of  cobalt  and  oxyd  of  chromium.” 

The  fluxes  used  for  these  bases  are  given  in 
the  following  paragraphs,  translated  from  the 
Ency elope die-Roret : 

“ The  matters  which  enter  into  the  composi- 
tion of  the  fluxes  and  which  cause  the  adherence 
of  the  metallic  oxyds  are  quartz,  feldspar,  borax 
and  boracic  acid,  nitre,  the  carbonates  of  potash 
and  of  soda,  red  lead  and  litharge,  and  oxyd  of 
bismuth.  At  Sevres,  they  employ,  for  under- 
glaze painting,  seven  kinds  of  fluxes,  which  suf- 
fice for  all  the  colors.  The  majority  of  these 
fluxes  are  composed  of  quartz,  oxyd  of  red  lead 
and  of  boracic  acid,  and  to  some  is  added  a small 
quantity  of  carbonate  of  soda. 

“ The  seven  fluxes  of  Sevres  are,  first,  the 
flint  flux,  which  is  prepared  by  melting  quickly 


COLORS  FOR  PAINTING  UNDER  GLAZE.  31 


in  a crucible  and  then  flowing  upon  a metallic 
plate  a mixture  of  3 parts  of  red  lead  or  of 
litharge,  and  1 part  of  Etampes  sand. 

“Second.  The  flux  of  greys  prepared  with  6 
parts  of  red  lead  or  litharge,  2 parts  of  Etampes 
sand,  and  1 part  of  pulverized  borax. 

“Third.  The  flux  of  carmines  is  made  of  1 
part  red  lead,  3 parts  of  Etampes  sand,  and  5 
parts  of  pulverized  borax. 

“ Fourth.  The  flux  of  purple  is  made  with  3 
parts  of  red  lead  or  of  litharge,  1 part  of  Etampes 
sand,  and  5 parts  of  crystallized  boracic  acid. 

“ Fifth.  The  flux  of  violets  is  made  of  27  parts 
of  litharge  or  red  lead,  2 parts  of  Etampes  sand, 
and  1 1 parts  of  crystallized  boracic  acid. 

“ Sixth.  The  flux  of  greens  employed,  as  well 
as  the  two  preceding  M.  Salvetat,  was  prepared 
by  him  with  8 1-9  parts  of  red  lead  or  litharge, 
1 part  of  Etampes  sand,  and  2 parts  of  crys- 
tallized boracic  acid. 

“Seventh.  Last  the  flux  of  the  metallic  sub- 
stances, which  is  of  sub-nitrate  of  bismuth,  ob- 
tained by  decomposing  in  water  the  nitrate  of 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


32 

the  acid  of  bismuth,  to  which  is  added  1-12  of 
borax.” 

These  fluxes  are  mixed  with  the  basic  oxvds  in 
greater  or  less  proportion,  according  as  the  col- 
ors are  intended  for  work,  which  will  require  a 
greater  or  less  degree  of  heat  in  firing. 

Underglaze  colors  in  powder  suitable  for  paint- 
ing on  pottery,  can  be  procured  of  several  differ- 
ent manufactures.  As  mentioned  before,  the 
variety  of  these  colors  is  not  so  great  as  is  to  be 
found  in  overglaze  colors,  but  as  they  can  be 
readily  mixed  the  number  is  sufficient  for  all 
practical  purposes. 

In  my  own  work  1 have  made  almost  exclu- 
sive use  of  French  colors,  those  manufactured  by 
M.  Lacroix.  These  colors  are  finely  ground  and 
of  considerable  variety  of  tint.  A list  of  those 
which  have  been  tried  and  found  to  give  satis- 
factory results,  may  be  given  here  : 

Blues — Bleu  de  Roi  (King’s blue). 

Bleu  violace  (violet  blue). 

Light  blue  — Bleu  myosotis  (Forget-me-not 
blue). 


COLORS  FOR  PAINTING  UNDER  GLAZE.  33 


Reds — Rouge  T.  (Red  T.)  and  Rouge  P , W\ 

Carmine — Rose  (or  Pink  ). 

Greens — Vert  fonce , No.  i (dark  green). 

Vert  tendre  (light  green). 

Black — Noir. 

Browns — Brun  fonce  (dark  brown). 

Brim  No.  5 (Brown  No.  5). 

Brun  jaune  (yellow  brown). 

Yellow — Jaune  fonce  (dark  yellow). 

Grey — - Gris  clair  (light  grey). 

There  are  many  others,  but  these  are  men- 
tioned as  among  those  that  have  been  tried  and 
found  to  fire  well,  and  the  colors  given  in  this 
list  will  be  sufficient  for  the  production  of  all  the 
tints  needed  in  underglaze  painting.  In  faience 
painted  after  the  Haviland  method,  fine  white 
clay  takes  the  place  of  white. 

In  painting  on  the  biscuit  white  paint  is  some- 
times used.  This  can  be  procured  of  English 
manufacture,  but  is  not,  I believe,  made  by  M. 
Lacroix.  The  colors  manufactured  by  Messrs. 
Hancock  & Sons,  Worcester,  England,  are  also 


34 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


very  satisfactory.  The  tints  of  these  and  the 
colors  of  other  English  manufacturers  corres- 
ponds with  those  of  M.  Lacroix,  which  have 
been  mentioned.  The  latter  manufacturer,  how- 
ever, furnishes  a much  greater  variety  of  colors, 
and  the  reds  especially  are  superior  to  any  Eng- 
lish reds  I have  seen.  M.  Lacroix’s  list  includes 
at  least  three  reds,  one  of  which,  Rouge  T can 
be  relied  upon  to  produce  as  good  a scarlet  as  is 
possible  under  the  glaze,  when  used  under  the 
proper  conditions.  The  English  carmines  are 
very  satisfactory.  The  English  green,  called 
French  green,  corresponds  in  tint  to  that  of  M. 
Lacroix,  called  Vert  fonce , No.  i,  while  mazarine 
blue,  of  the  Worcester  and  Phillips  manufac- 
tures, and  Cobalt  blue  of  others  corresponds  to 
the  Bleu  de  Roi  of  the  French,  and  for  work  on 
biscuit  white  ware  stands  the  fire  rather  better. 
The  Victoria  green,  of  the  Worcester  colors,  is 
especially  to  be  commended  for  a light  green 
which  stands  the  fire  remarkably  well. 

Phillips’  English  colors  are  also  very  good. 


COLORS  FOR  PAINTING  UNDER  GLAZE.  35 


H is  mazarine  blue,  especially,  is  one  of  the  finest 
blues  I have  ever  met  with.  Emery’s  and  Har- 
rison’s colors  fire  very  well,  but  are  not  so  finely 
ground  as  the  first  mentioned. 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


36 


CHAPTER  III. 

PAINTING  ON  POTTERY  AFTER  THE  MANNER  OF 
THE  IIAVILAND  OR  LIMOGES  FAIENCE, 


HIS  method  of  painting  on 
pottery  is  said  to  have 
been  discovered  by  M. 
Laurin,  at  Bourg-la-reine , 
in  the  year  1873.  The 
process  was  afterward 
adopted  by  M.  Haviland, 
and  by  him  improved  in  such  manner  as  to  mate^ 
rially  change  the.  method,  as  well  as  the  appear- 
ance of  the  painting.  Specimens  of  the  ware 
were  first  exhibited  at  the  Centennial  Exhibition, 
in  Philadelphia,  in  1876.  The  first  application 
of  a similar  style  in  the  decoration  of  pottery,  in 
this  country,  was  made  by  the  writer  in  Cincin- 
nati, in  October,  1877 . 


PAINTING  ON  POTTERY. 


37 


This  method  of  decorating  pottery,  although 
not  involving  the  use  of  any  new  principle,  was 
yet  so  entirely  novel  an  application  of  principles 
already  in  use,  as  to  entitle  M.  Laurin  to  all  the 
credit  attaching  to  a very  original  and  important 
discovery.  It  places  in  the  hands  of  the  painter 
of  pottery  a method  at  once  so  artistic,  and  so 
thoroughly  in  accord  with  the  modern  school,  as 
to  awaken  a profound  interest  in  the  minds  of 
all  lovers  of  art.  It  is  probable  that  there  are 
capabilities  in  this  art  that  have  not  yet  been 
brought  out.  It  is  still  in  its  infancy,  and  that 
there  are  in  it  possibilities  of  much  importance 
to  the  artistic  world,  can  hardly  be  doubted. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  technical  difficulties  which 
surround  all  work  on  pottery,  and  this  style  in 
particular,  it  would  offer  facilities  for  the  pro- 
duction of  works  of  art  unequaled  by  any 
method  heretofore  in  use.  It  is  the  hope  of 
the  writer  that  the  following  description  of  the 
method  of  decorating  pottery,  in  this  manner, 
may  throw  some  light  upon  these  technical  diffi- 
culties, and  also  that  artists  of  ability  may  be  in- 


38 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


duced  to  try  it,  and  so  demonstrate  the  capabil- 
ity it  undoubtedly  possesses. 

The  mere  knowledge  of  the  materials  used 
will,  however,  no  more  produce  artistic  work, 
than  a box  of  Winsor  & Newton’s  colors,  in 
the  hands  of  a beginner,  will  enable  him  to  paint 
a picture,  equal  to  one  by  Titian.  To  produce 
good  work  in  this  method,  there  must  be  a cer- 
tain amount  of  skill  at  the  command  of  the 
painter,  just  as  the  same  degree  of  skill  is  re- 
quisite in  the  production  of  a good  picture  by 
any  other  method.  There  is  a certain  boldness 
of  effect  produced  by  the  very  nature  of  the 
materials  and  process,  which  probably  would 
not  be  seen  in  the  work  of  the  same  person  in 
other  methods,  yet  the  lack  of  artistic  feeling  and 
ability  will  be  as  painfully  apparent  in  this  as  in 
any  other. 

Colors  may  be  daubed  upon  pottery,  as  they 
are,  alas!  upon  canvas,  by  those  whose  training 
and  whose  feeling  for  art  would  hardly  fit  them 
to  become  good  house  painters  ; but  the  result 
will  not  be  good  art,  nor  will  it  ever  be  its  own 


PAINTING  ON  POTTERY. 


39 


excuse  for  being.  If  other  branches  of  decora- 
tive art  require  taste,  knowledge,  and  practical 
skill,  so  much  the  more  does  this,  when  it  offers 
scope  for  the  highest  capacity.  To  the  artist  of 
ability  sufficient  to  make  use  of  it,  it  furnishes 
a palette  which,  although  not  of  the  same  range 
as  that  of  oil  colors,  yet  affords  an  almost  un- 
limited scale  of  colors,  each  of  which  is  en- 
hanced to  the  fullest  degree  by  the  brilliant  glaze, 
with  which  the  work  is  finished.  The  painting 
executed  with  these  beautiful  colors,  moreover, 
is  practically  unchangeable,  and  none  of  the  rav- 
ages of  time,  short  of  the  destruction  of  the 
piece  of  ware  itself,  can  affect  it.  In  decorations 
for  buildings,  or  for  ordinary  use  in  portraiture, 
or  the  higher  forms  of  art,  it  offers,  what  has 
long  been  desired  among  artists  and  art  lovers,  a 
method  of  making  works  of  art  indestructible 
and  beyond  the  possibility  of  change. 

The  ware  known  among  dealers  under  the 
name  of  “ barbotine,”  has  some  resemblance  to 
that  which  we  have  been  considering.  It  has  a 
light  body,  which  has  been  subjected  to  a very 


4o 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


slight  fire,  and  is  covered  with  a soft  glaze, 
which  ensures  great  brilliancy  of  coloring.  The 
ware,  however,  has  no  durability,  and  is  a sub- 
stance that  would  not  stand  the  action  of  the 
elements,  if  used  in  external  decoration. 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


4I 


CHAPTER  IV. 

METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE  UNDER  THE  GLAZE 
WITH  THE  USE  OF  BODY  COLOR. 

HE  method  of  decorating 

O 

pottery  here  described  is 
similar  in  its  effects  to 
what  is  known  as  the 
Haviland,  or  Limoges  fai- 
ence, and  is  given  as  the 
result  of  numerous  exper- 
iments made  by  the  writer. 

The  finished  work  presents  the  appearance  of 
a painting  in  oil,  to  which  a brilliant  glaze  has 
been  applied.  This  glaze  not  only  renders  the 
colors  unchangeable,  but  gives  a beauty  and 
effectiveness  which  could  be  acquired  in  no  other 
way.  There  is  nothing  peculiar  in  regard  to 
this  glaze,  however,  the  only  requisite  being  that 


42 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


it  should  be  suited  to  the  body  of  the  ware,  and 
that  the  latter  and  its  glaze  must  not  require  so 
great  a degree  of  heat  in  firing  that  the  colors 
shall  be  injured.  This  matter  of  the  glaze  has 
been  almost  uniformly  misrepresented  in  ac- 
counts of  the  ware  which  have  been  published. 
It  has  been  said  that  the  peculiar  effect  of  the 
work  was  due  to  the  glaze,  and  that  the  secret 
of  making  it  was  not  generally  known.  This  is 
not  at  all  true,  as  the  results  are  due  solely  to  the 
peculiar  method  of  painting,  and  the  glaze  is 
simply  the  process  by  which  it  is  finished,  and 
bears  the  same  relation  to  it  as  the  varnish  does 
to  the  painting  in  oil.  The  work  will  suffer,  of 
course,  if  this  part  of  it  is  not  well  performed; 
but  the  distinguishing  feature  of  the  method 
consists  not  in  the  glaze,  but  in  the  use  of  clay, 
which  is  mixed  with  coloring  oxides,  capable  of 
bearing  a high  degree  of  heat  in  firing,  and  which 
gives  them  body,  producing  a thick  impasto  in 
the  painting.  The  work  partakes,  therefore, 
both  of  the  nature  of  painting  and  modeling,  as 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


43 


the  high  lights  may  be  laid  in  so  thickly  as  to 
produce  an  actual  relief. 

It  is  somewhat  difficult,  indeed,  almost  impos- 
sible, to  give  a correct  idea  of  the  palettes  to  be 
used  in  this  kind  of  painting.  If  colors  could  be 
procured,  already  prepared  for  use,  as  oil  paints 
are,  and  these  colors  had  the  same  appearance  after 
firing  as  before,  it  would  be  comparatively  an  easy 
task.  As  it  is,  the  colors  must  be  mixed  with 
clays  in  certain  proportions,  and,  on  account  of 
the  change  produced  by  firing,  the  proportions 
necessary  to  produce  the  intensity  of  color  desired, 
can  only  be  determined  from  experience.  The 
result,  after  the  work  is  finished,  differs  from  its 
appearance  before  firing  to  a greater  extent  than 
in  any  other  kind  of  decoration  upon  pottery. 
As  a rule,  it  may  be  said  that  the  colors  are  in- 
tensified by  firing.  This  is  also  true  of  other 
kinds  of  under-glaze  painting,  but  not  in  so 
great  a degree  as  in  the  case  in  question.  The 
harmonies  and  contrasts  of  color  can  be  kept 
only  in  the  mind  of  the  artist,  and  every  part 
of  the  work  must  be  done  with  a view  to  the 


44 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


result  when  finished,  which,  as  has  been  said,  will 
differ  materially  from  its  appearance  during  the 
progress  of  the  painting.  Experience  only,  can 
give  an  accurate  idea  of  these  changes.  This, 
however,  is  not  an  insurmountable  difficulty ; 
care  and  patience  added  to  the  requisite  artistic 
ability,  will  soon  lead  to  satisfactory  results. 

Before  describing  the  method  of  painting,  it 
may  be  well  to  consider  the  kind  of  clay  of 
which  the  body  of  the  ware  should  be  made,  and 
the  state  in  which  the  painting  should  be  ap- 
plied. As  to  the  clay  forming  the  body  of  the 
ware,  it  must  be  of  such  a nature  as  to  adapt  it- 
self to  a glaze  sufficiently  soft  to  perserve  the 
colors.  As  the  clay  used  in  the  painting  must, 
of  necessity,  in  most  cases,  be  white,  in  order 
that  the  purity  and  beauty  of  the  colors  may  not 
be  affected  by  admixture  with  it,  a body  of  the 
same,  or  very  nearly  resembling  it,  would,  in 
some  respects,  be  the  best,  one  reason  for  this 
being  that  the  applied  clay  would  be  more  cer- 
tain to  adhere  firmly  to  the  body,  both  having  the 
same  qualities.  The  proper  glaze  for  such  a 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


45 


body  would,  however,  require  too  great  a degree 
of  heat  in  the  firing,  and  none  but  the  strongest 
colors  could  bear  it  without  injury. 

In  order,  therefore,  that  the  glaze  may  be  per- 
fectly adapted  to  the  body  of  the  ware,  and  yet 
require  no  greater  degree  of  heat  than  the  colors 
used  in  the  painting  will  bear,  it  is  best  to 
use  a body  formed  from  materials  which  do  not 
need  to  be  fired  at  a very  high  temperature. 
This  desired  quality  is  found  in  some  of  the 
natural  colored  clays.  A mixture  partaking  of 
the  qualities  of  both  yellow  and  red  clay,  with- 
out the  unpleasant  color  of  the  former,  and  pos- 
sessing greater  strength  than  the  latter,  has  been 
found  to  be  the  best. 

THE  STATE  OF  THE  WARE  IN  WHICH  THE  PAINT- 
ING SHOULD  BE  APPLIED. 

For  this  method  of  decoration  the  ware 
should  be  in  the  <c  green”  state.  The  more 
moisture  it  contains  the  better,  and  it  will  be  in 
proper  condition  if  procured  as  soon  as  it  leaves 
the  hands  of  the  molder,  or  as  soon  as  it  has  be- 


46 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


come  sufficiently  dry  to  retain  its  shape.  Pieces 
can  be  kept  in  this  state  a considerable  length 
of  time,  by  placing  them  in  a box  which  has 
been  lined  with  plaster  of  paris.  This  lining 
should  be  about  an  inch  thick,  and  if  the  inside 
is  occasionally  sprinkled  with  water,  it  will  re- 
main moist,  and  keep  the  clay  in  good  condi- 
tion. A box  of  this  kind  is  really  invaluable 
for  all  work,  where  it  is  necessary  to  keep  clay 
moist.  Within  certain  limits  the  clay  is  im- 
proved rather  than  injured  by  keeping  in  this 
way;  the  effect  upon  it  being  that  it  becomes 
tougher  and  more  plastic.  If  kept  too  long,  it 
becomes  “rotten,”  and  the  plastic  quality  is 
lost,  but  it  will  keep  a reasonable  length  of  time, 
even  two  or  three  months.  If  the  box  can  not 
be  had,  the  pieces  may  be  covered  by  a rub- 
ber cloth,  which  should  be  kept  from  touching 
them  by  a frame  of  wood  or  galvanized  iron 
wire,  damp  cloths  having  been  placed  around 
them  to  produce  sufficient  moisture. 

It  is  necessary  to  exercise  this  care  in  keeping 
the  ware  moist,  in  order  to  prevent  the  clay, 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


47 


which  is  applied  to  the  surface  in  painting,  from 
cracking  during  the  process  of  drying.  It  must 
always  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  material  made 
use  of  in  painting  is  simply  clay,  which  has  been 
artificially  colored,  and,  as  clay,  becomes  subject 
to  the  rules  which  govern  all  work  of  this  kind, 
whether  it  is  making  pottery,  modeling,  or  paint- 
ing faience. 

To  produce  depth  and  richness  of  effect,  the 
painting  should  have  a heavy  impasto , and  the 
high  lights  should  be  laid  on  in  such  a manner 
as  almost  to  present  the  appearance  of  modeling 
in  relief.  When  this  is  done,  there  is  a tendency 
in  the  applied  clay  to  crack  in  drying,  if  the  con- 
ditions are  not  right.  In  applying  one  piece  of 
clay  to  another,  it  is  requisite  that  both  should 
be  of  the  same  consistency,  to  ensure  equal  con- 
traction. In  this  case,  however,  the  clay  is  used 
as  paint,  and  must  be  of  such  consistency  as 
will  permit  its  manipulation  with  the  brush.  Its 
application,  then,  ^o  a body  of  clay  that  has  lost 
much  of  its  moisture,  is  attended  with  some 
risk,  and  the  fact  that  the  coating  of  clay  is  com- 


48 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


paratively  thin,  alone  renders  it  possible  to  defy 
one  of  the  conditions  which  govern  the  use  of  this 
material.  When  the  piece  of  ware,  upon  which 
this  painting  is  applied,  has  previously  become 
too  dry,  the  moisture  in  the  coating  of  clay  is 
very  quickly  absorbed  into  the  body,  and  this 
causes  it  to  shrink  unequally  with  the  body,  and 
thus  to  crack.  When  the  body  and  the  applied 
clay  are  more  nearly  in  the  same  condition,  and 
the  former  still  retains  considerable  moisture,  it 
does  not  absorb  that  of  the  clayon  the  surface  so 
rapidly,  and  they  shrink  and  dry  together. 

The  drying  of  the  clay  used  in  painting  can, 
however,  be  retarded  by  the  use  of  gum  traga- 
canth,  which  may  be  mixed  with  it.  It  would, 
perhaps,  be  better  always  to  take  the  precaution 
to  use  this  medium,  although  when,  as  remarked 
before,  the  body  of  the  ware  is  still  quite  soft, 
and  the  condition  of  the  atmosphere  such  as  to 
prevent  too  rapid  drying,  the  painting  may  be 
executed  simply  with  the  use  of  water. 

Just  here  a caution  as  to  the  use  of  gum  trag- 
acanth  may  be  given,  and  that  is,  that  it  is  better 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


49 


not  to  mix  the  gum  with  more  of  the  colored 
clay  prepared  for  painting  than  is  to  be  used  at 
once.  When  mixed  only  with  water,  the  clay 
after  becoming  dry,  can  be  easily  rubbed  down 
again  with  water  ; but  if  gum  tragacanth  has  been 
used  in  the  mixture,  and  it  has  been  allowed  to 
dry  upon  the  palette,  the  gum  will  not  re-dissolve 
readily  under  the  action  of  water  and  the  palette 
knife,  and  the  mixture  will  be  full  of  small  par- 
ticles of  undissolved  gum,  which  will  render  it 
unpleasant  to  work  with.  To  prepare  gum  trag- 
acanth for  use,  it  is  dissolved  in  water,  to  which 
may  be  added  a drop  of  salycilic  acid  to  keep  it 
from  turning  sour. 

The  clay,  which  is  to  form  a body  for  the 
colors,  must  be  dissolved  in  water  until  of  a 
proper  consistency  for  painting.  It  should  be  a 
little  thicker  than  the  diluted  clay  used  by  pot- 
ters and  technically  called  <c  slip.”  As  to  the 
quality  of  the  clay,  the  desideratum  is  that  it 
shall  be  colorless  and  not  inclined  to  crack  in 
drying.  The  clay  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
white  granite  ware  is  probably  the  best  clay  for 


5° 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


this  purpose,  generally  accessible.  This  can 
be  mixed  with  all  the  colors  without  injury 
to  the  tint  of  any.  Parian  clay  produces  the 
most  beautiful  effects,  and,  where  it  is  possible 
to  procure  it,  forms  the  best  medium  for 
this  painting.  More  care  must,  however,  be 
exercised  in  its  use,  as  it  is  very  liable  to  crack 
in  drying,  and  from  the  translucency  produced 
in  the  body  by  the  action  of  the  fire,  must  be 
laid  on  more  thickly  than  clays  which  have 
greater  opacity,  to  produce  the  effect  desired. 

In  the  case  of  yellow,  which  does  not  always 
stand  the  fire  well,  it  is  best  to  mix  the  color 
with  a yellow-tinted  clay  to  ensure  a successful 
result.  C.  C.  clay,  which  is  a cream-tinted 
white,  will  effect  this.  If  a darker  yellow  is  de- 
sired, clay  which  in  firing  acquires  a decided  yel- 
low-tint may  be  used. 

A light  cream-tinted  clay,  such  as  C.  C.,  or 
“stilt”  clay,  may  be  used  with  yellows  therefore, 
with  advantage,  with  browns  and  blues  without 
disagreeable  effects  ; but  in  the  case  of  scarlet, 
pink,  or  crimson  and  greens,  nothing  but 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE.  5J 

white  clay  must  be  used,  if  purity  of  tint  is  de- 
sired. The  reason  for  this  is  that  the  presence 
of  iron  in  the  yellow-tinted  clays  injures  the 
colors  mentioned. 

The  clay  can  be  procured  from  the  pottery  in 
broken  pieces,  or,  better,  in  a semi-pulverized 
state  from  the  trimming  in  making  the  wares. 
When  in  this  state  it  is  easy  at  any  time  to  dis- 
solve enough  for  use.  It  is,  perhaps,  better  to 
prepare  it  just  before  it  is  to  be  used,  as  the 
longer  clay  stands,  after  it  has  been  mixed  with 
water,  the  more  compact  it  becomes.  When  it 
has  just  been  dissolved,  it  still  retains  air  among 
its  particles,  and  this  renders  the  mixture  more 
porous  and  less  liable  to  crack.  It  soon  dissolves 
in  water  and  can  be  stirred  until  smooth.  It 
may  be  strained  through  a sponge,  alternately 
allowing  the  sponge  to  absorb  the  diluted  clay 
and  then  squeezing  it.  Probably  the  most  con- 
venient way  is  to  rub  the  clay  in  a mortar  until 
all  the  lumps  are  dissolved.  If  a very  small 
quantity  only  is  needed  it  may  be  rubbed  down 


52 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


upon  the  palette  with  the  palette  knife  as  it  is 
wanted. 

A palette  or  a slab  of  glass  may  be  used  for 
mixing  the  colors  and  clay.  The  latter  is  the 
best,  as  it  can  be  procured  of  large  size,  and  as 
in  this  kind  of  work  a considerable  quantity  of 
paint  is  necessary,  there  should  be  ample  room 
to  mix  the  colors.  A slab  of  French  plate  glass, 
at  least  twenty  by  twenty-four  inches,  may  be 
procured  This  can  be  imbedded  in  plaster  of 
paris,  which  will  make  it  stronger,  as  well  as  fur- 
nish a white  surface  upon  which  the  colors  will 
show  to  better  advantage. 

The  powdered  colors  as  procured  are  not  per- 
fectly pulverized,  and  must  be  well  rubbed  down 
with  a muller  and  palette  knife.  It  is  even  more 
necessary  in  this  than  in  other  kinds  of  paint- 
ing upon  pottery  that  the  color  should  be  well 
ground.  If  not  rubbed  down  sufficiently  before 
being  mixed  with  the  clay , particles  of  color  which 
are  scarcely  apparent  before  firing,  will  show 
when  the  work  is  glazed,  forming  specks  in  what 
should  be,  a perfectly  uniform  tint.  If  the  color 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


53 


is  mixed  with  the  clay  before  it  has  been  perfectly 
dissolved,  it  will  not  afterward  be  possible  by 
any  rubbing  down  to  remove  the  specks  from  the 
mixture. 

. The  colors,  after  being  thoroughly  ground, 
can  be  mixed  with  clay  in  such  proportions  as 
may  be  desired.  The  white  clay  takes  the  place 
of  white,  and  is  used  to  lighten  every  tint,  as 
well  as  to  form  a body  for  the  colors.  It  is  a 
good  plan,  where  experience  has  rendered  it  pos- 
sible to  do  it  with  judgment  and  certainty  of 
result,  to  mix  the  various  tints  in  water  wTith 
clay,  in  quantities,  and  then  allow  them  to  dry. 
When  dry,  they  can  be  pulverized  and  the  col- 
ored powder  can  be  put  away  in  bottles  for  future 
use.  This  saves  time  when  painting,  and  also 
ensures  a like  result  from  the  use  of  a mixture 
which  has  already  been  tested  and  found  to  be 
satisfactory.  It  is  only,  however,  after  consider- 
able experience  in  mixing  colors,  and  verifying 
their  results,  that  this  can  be  safely  done. 

As  in  other  kinds  of  underglaze  painting,  it 
may  be  given  as  a general  rule,  that  the  colors 


54 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


are  intensified  in  firing,  in  this,  however,  much 
more  than  in  other  methods.  All  the  stronger 
colors  are  intensified  to  a degree  difficult  to 
realize  before  experience  has  taught  the  artist 
what  to  expect.  They  all  become  several  shades 
darker,  and,  in  the  case  of  blues,  blacks  and 
greens,  it  is  more  difficult  to  obtain  delicacy, 
than  depth  of  tint. 

In  the  use  of  scarlet,  crimson  and  yellow,  a 
considerable  amount  of  the  color  in  proportion 
to  the  clay  must  be  used  for  the  darker  portions 
to  give  sufficient  depth.  Only  enough  clay  must 
be  taken  to  give  body  to  the  paint,  and  the  mix- 
ture should  then  be  applied  very  thickly.  The 
painter  must  also  bear  in  mind  the  fact  that  the 
stronger  color  will  overpower  the  weaker  in  mix- 
tures, even  when  the  latter  is  in  such  degree  as 
to  give  the  color  to  the  mixture  before  firing. 
After  firing,  the  stronger  color  will  appear  in  ex- 
cess. In  making  such  mixtures,  therefore,  the 
stronger  color  should  be  used  very  sparingly,  if 
it  is  desired  that  the  other  should  predominate 
in  the  tint  when  fired.  Otherwise,  the  colors 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


55 


may  be  found  after  firing  to  be  entirely  different 
from  what  was  intended. 

METHOD  OF  PAINTING. 

Let  us  suppose  that  the  artist  wishes  to  paint 
a vase.  A certain  tint  being  selected  for  the 
ground,  the  color,  or  colors,  which  are  to  pro- 
duce it  are  mixed  in  their  relative  proportions, 
according  to  the  hints  given  above.  A suffic- 
ient quantity  should  be  prepared  to  paint  the 
whole  ground,  especially  if  a mixed  tint,  which 
''  it  would  be  difficult  to  reproduce  in  its  exact 
proportions.  It  will  require  some  little  experi- 
ence to  enable  the  artist  to  judge  how  much  will 
be  needed,  and,  perhaps,  it  will  be  somewhat 
difficult  for  any  one  accustomed  to  painting  in 
other  methods,  to  realize  the  quantity  of  paint 
used  in  this.  It  is  better  to  have  too  much 
mixed  than  too  little,  as  it  can  be  kept  and  used 
another  time. 

The  color,  or  colors,  for  the  ground  having 
been  rubbed  down  until  perfectly  smooth,  as 
directed  before,  may  be  mixed  with  more  or  less 


56 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


clay,  according  to  the  shade  of  color  desired. 
The  first  tint  may  be  made  to  represent  the 
darkest  shade  in  the  ground,  and  a comparatively 
small  amount  of  clay  should  be  used.  After  the 
color  has  been  mixed  with  the  clay,  it  can  be 
placed  on  one  side  of  the  palette.  By  taking 
portions  from  it  and  adding  more  clay,  other 
shades  of  the  same  color  may  be  made.  First, 
a light  tint  may  be  prepared  for  the  first  coat 
upon  the  vase. 

Before  commencing  to  lay  on  the  ground,  it  is 
well  to  wash  the  surface  of  the  vase  with  a thin  so- 
lution of  glaze  (such  as  is  used  for  finishing  the 
ware),  or  with  borax  water.  This  is  to  ensure  the 
adhesion  of  the  clay,  of  which  the  painting  is  to 
consist,  to  the  clay  of  which  the  vase  is  made. 
Previous  to  this,  the  vase,  if  not  already  in  good 
condition,  should  be  washed  over  with  a brush, 
or  with  a sponge  dipped  in  water,  or  sprinkled 
until  it  has  absorbed  water  enough  to  keep  the 
clay,  which  is  to  be  applied  to  its  surface,  from 
drying  too  quickly. 

A broad,  flat  camel’s-hair  brush  may  then  be 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


57 


charged  with  the  light  tint,  and  the  surface  of  the 
vase  covered  with  it  as  evenly  as  possible,  and  so 
thickly  as  to  completely  obscure  the  body.  This 
done,  another  tint,  darker  than  the  first,  in  a de- 
gree sufficient  to  permit  their  being  distin- 
guished from  each  other,  may  be  mixed.  This 
will  form  the  middle  tint  of  the  ground,  and  is 
to  be  laid  on  over  the  first.  The  reason  for 
applying  two  coats  is,  that,  although  it  might 
be  possible  to  paint  one  with  the  degree  of 
thickness  necessary  to  prevent  the  shrinkage  of 
the  applied  clay  in  the  firing,  from  revealing  the 
body  of  the  vase,  still  the  beginner  is  very  likely 
to  be  deceived  as  to  the  thickness  of  the  impasto , 
judging  by  the  eye  alone.  Potters  dip  pieces 
of  ware  in  colored  slips,  and  the  thicknesss  of 
the  covering  thus  formed  is  all  sufficient.  In 
the  case  of  painting,  however,  it  is  impossible 
to  lay  the  clay  on  as  evenly,  and  there  will 
be,  in  all  probability,  some  places  too  thinly 
covered  to  stand  the  fire,  but  which  would  not 
be  revealed  before.  It  is  better,  therefore,  to 
apply  two  coats,  so  that  one  may  cover  up 


53 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


the  deficiencies  of  the  other.  The  reason  for 
having  these  two  coats  of  different  tints  is,  that 
it  is  then  possible  to  be  assured  that  the  surface 
is  covered  completely,  it  being  easy  to  distin- 
guish the  first  tint  laid  from  the  body  of  the 
vase,  and  in  the  second  painting,  to  observe  that 
it  entirely  covers  the  first. 

The  second  coat  finished,  a lighter  tint  should 
be  mixed,  with  which  the  ground  is  varied  by 
touches  here  and  there,  making  the  highest 
light  of  the  ground,  while  touches  of  the  first 
tint  mixed,  give  the  darker  shades.  There 
should  be  difference  enough  in  tone  between  the 
middle  tints  of  the  ground,  and  these  lighter  and 
darker  tints,  to  produce  a good  effect  of  light 
and  shade,  and  these  touches  should  be  laid  on 
with  a free  hand,  and  then  softened  into  the 
ground,  care  being  taken  that  the  lights  and 
shadows  should  not  end  too  abruptly. 

In  these  touches,  as  in  all  the  painting,  there 
must  be  a certain  thickness  in  reality,  as  well  as 
in  appearance,  to  make  the  work  effective  when 
finished.  The  clay  shrinks  and  seems  to  be  dis- 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


59 


sipated  in  the  process  of  firing,  and  if  applied 
too  thinly,  in  any  part,  will  reveal  the  body  of 
the  ware,  or  some  under-tint,  perhaps  spoiling 
the  appearance  of  the  whole.  The  transparent 
effect,  produced  by  a thin  layer  of  clay,  which, 
after  firing,  shows  the  under-tint  through,  is 
sometimes  very  beautiful  in  certain  parts  of  a 
design.  It  is,  however,  difficult  to  judge  by  the 
eye  of  the  requisite  degree  of  thickness  necessary 
to  produce  this  effect,  and  the  heat  of  the  firing 
may  be  so  great  as  to  cause  that  portion  of  the 
painting  to  disappear  entirely.  It  can  not,  then, 
be  safely  counted  upon,  and  the  best  way  is  to 
depend  solely  upon  the  lights  and  shades  of  the 
painting  for  the  effects  desired. 

The  ground  finished,  the  decorative  design 
may  be  painted  upon  it.  This  should  not  be 
outlined  upon  the  surface,  but  should  simply  be 
painted  with  a free  hand,  and  without  too  much 
attention  to  detail,  a brilliant  effect  of  light, 
shade,  and  color  being  the  object  aimed  at  in 
this  style  of  painting. 

We  will  suppose  that  a floral  design  is  to  be 


6o 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


painted  upon  the  vase.  The  middle  tint  of  the 
flowers  can  first  be  laid,  the  shadows  are  then 
put  in,  and  lastly  the  high  lights,  laid  on  heavily, 
almost  giving  the  effect  of  relief.  Leaves  and 
other  accessories  of  the  design  may  be  treated  in 
the  same  manner.  The  edge  of  the  design  must 
be  softened  into  the  background,  to  avoid  a hard 
effect  after  the  work  is  glazed.  The  process  of 
glazing  has  a tendency  to  soften  and  melt  the 
tints  into  each  other,  but  this  effect  must  be  en- 
hanced by  judicious  use  of  the  middle  tints  and 
shadows  of  the  painting,  and  by  leaving  the 
edges  thin.  One  of  the  greatest  beauties  of  this 
kind  of  painting,  when  well  done,  is  the  effect  of 
the  rich  colors  melting  into  each  other,  with  a 
charming  indistinctness,  which  leaves  something 
to  the  imagination  of  the  beholder. 

Those  who  have  not  been  accustomed  to  the 
use  of  color  in  such  masses,  will,  perhaps,  be 
embarrassed  at  first  by  the  difficulty  of  painting 
with  clay.  This  will  soon  be  overcome  by  prac- 
tice, but,  as  has  been  said  before,  it  should  al- 
ways be  remembered  that  it  is  clay  which  is  used, 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


6 I 


and,  therefore,  the  work  is  subject  to  the  condi- 
tions which  govern  the  use  of  that  material. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  enter  further  into  details,  as 
it  is  only  intended  here,  to  give  some  instruction  as 
to  the  method  of  painting,  leaving  the  manner  of 
it  to  the  artist,  it  being  taken  for  granted  that  any 
one  desiring  to  practice  this  kind  of  painting 
should  have  already  attained  some  proficiency  in 
the  use  of  colors,  and  should  have  acquired  a 
knowledge  of  the  rules  which  govern  art. 

To  such  there  will  simply  be  the  difficulty  of 
learning  to  work  with  a new  material.  If  this 
knowledge  does  not  exist,  it  will  be  no  easier  to 
succeed  in  accomplishing  any  thing,  worth  the 
doing,  in  this,  than  in  other  kinds  of  art  work. 

With  regard  to  the  colors  to  be  used,  it  is 
enough  to  say  that  a sufficient  number  can  be 
obtained  to  produce  by  admixture,  in  various  de- 
grees, tints  for  the  production  of  any  subject  re- 
quired. It  is  only  necessary  to  remember,  as 
said  before,  that  in  these  mixtures  the  stronger 
colors  must  not  be  in  such  proportion  as  to  over- 
power the  weaker.  A list  of  useful  colors  has 


62 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


been  given  in  a previous  chapter.  In  regard  to 
the  mixtures  of  these  colors  a few  words  may  be 
of  use. 

Black  is  a very  useful  color  for  shadows,  mak- 
ing, in  its  admixture  with  white  clay,  numerous 
pleasing  tints  of  grey,  which  may  be  varied  by 
the  addition  of  any  other  color  which  may  be  de- 
sired. As  black  is  one  of  the  strongest  colors, 
however,  it  must  be  very  sparingly  used  where  a 
light  tint  is  needed.  In  the  mixture  of  blue  and 
green,  the  former  must  exist  in  a much  smaller 
proportion  than  the  latter,  if  the  mixture  is  to 
have  a greenish  tint.  Experience  alone  can  give 
success,  but  enough  has  been  said  to  prevent  the 
beginner  from  making  very  disastrous  mistakes. 

The  painting  must,  of  course,  be  executed 
while  the  clay  is  wet,  and  should  be  finished  in 
one  sitting.  If  this  is  not  possible,  it  may  be 
kept  wet  in  the  way  described  for  keeping  the 
ware  before  painting. 

In  describing  the  method  of  painting  a vase, 
we  have  taken  for  our  model,  one  decorated  with 
flowers.  Decorations  can,  however,  be  as  varied 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE.  63 

in  regard  to  subjects  as  paintings  on  canvas. 
Floral  decorations  seem  to  be  the  best  adapted 
to  vases,  or  other  objects  having  rounded  sur- 
faces. Plaques  and  vases,  such  as  pilgrim  jars, 
which  afford  flat  surfaces,  may  also  be  decorated 
with  landscapes  or  figures.  For  these  subjects 
somewhat  different  treatment  may  be  adopted, 
but  enough  has  been  said  to  indicate  the  require- 
ments of  the  material,  and  each  artist  will  find  a 
manner  suited  to  himself. 

Decorations  of  a similar  character  can  be  pro- 
duced upon  ware  of  different  colors,  leaving  the 
color  of  the  clay  for  a ground.  This  has  a very 
good  effect  when  done  upon  cream-tinted  clay 
in  suitable  colors.  As  this  kind  of  ware  should 
be  fired  at  a higher  temperature  than  the  deeper 
tinted  and  coarser  clays,  the  colors  are  liable  to 
fade  in  the  firing.  This  is  not  undesirable,  how- 
ever, as  the  faded  tints  harmonize  with  the  light 
ground  much  better  than  darker  colors.  Some 
beautiful  effects  can  be  produced  by  decoration 
of  this  kind,  which  can  be  supplemented  by  carv- 
ing and  gilding. 


64 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


The  same  method  can  be  used  on  a ground  of 
dark  red  clay  by  the  selection  of  colors  which 
will  harmonize  with  the  ground.  Yellow  flowers 
look  well  upon  a ground  of  this  character,  and 
the  yellow  color  can  be  produced,  as  we  have  said 
before,  by  the  use  of  yellow  clay,  either  alone  or 
as  an  adjunct  to  the  color. 

Monochrome  decorations  can  also  be  pro- 
duced, by  the  use  of  natural  clays  of  various 
colors,  in  the  same  manner  as  that  pursued  in  the 
use  of  the  artificially  tinted  clay  of  which  we 
have  been  treating.  Good  effects  can  be  pro- 
duced in  this  way,  with  the  advantage  that  the 
colors  will  be  fully  retained  in  the  firing.  Red,  or 
brown  and  white,  in  various  degrees  of  .combi- 
nation, can  be  used  to  produce  a design  with 
every  effect  of  light  and  shade.  Also,  red,  with 
cream-tinted  clay,  or  the  three  colors — red,  yel- 
low and  white — can  be  used  together.  These 
designs  can  be  produced  upon  grounds  of  cream, 
red,  or  yellow  clay. 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


65 


DRYING. 

When  the  painting  has  been  completed,  it 
should  dry  very  slowly,  and  it  would  be  better, 
if  possible,  to  effect  this  by  placing  it  in  a moist, 
cool  place.  It  is,  however,  difficult  to  handle  a 
piece  of  ware  when  wet.  The  clay  is  in  a very 
soft  state,  and  a sudden  jar  might  cause  the  vase 
to  fall  to  pieces. 

If  the  vase  has  not  been  in  proper  condition 
for  painting,  or  has  dried  too  quickly,  it  will, 
after  some  hours  have  elapsed,  begin  to  show  fine 
cracks  upon  the  surface  of  the  painting.  These 
may  be  stopped,  before  they  have  gone  too  far, 
by  passing  a modeling  tool  over  them,  or,  if 
the  crack  has  become  too  deep  for  this  treatment, 
it  may  be  filled  with  clay  as  nearly  as  possible  in 
the  state  at  which  the  body  of  the  ware  has  ar- 
rived. If  the  cracks  are  allowed  to  go  too  far  it 
will  be  difficult  to  stop  them,  as  they  may  have 
extended  into  the  body  of  the  ware. 

If  the  piece  is  permitted  to  go  to  the  firing 
with  any  cracks,  however  small  upon  its  surface, 


66 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


they  will  become  widened  in  the  firing,  and, 
especially  after  the  glazing,  will  show  very  dis- 
tinctly. 

In  the  biscuit,  they  may  be  stopped  by  fill- 
ing them  with  powdered  clay  mixed  with  gum 
water.  But  an  ounce  of  prevention  is  worth 
a pound  of  cure,  and  the  safest  method  is  to  pre- 
vent their  appearance  in  the  first  place.  If  this 
can  not  be  done,  they  must  be  stopped  as  soon 
as  they  appear.  The  finer  clays  seem  to  have 
a greater  tendency  to  crack  in  drying,  and  when 
the  cracks  have  appeared,  they  are  more  difficult 
to  stop  than  in  other  clays. 

FIRING. 

When  the  piece  decorated  is  thoroughly  dry, 
it  should  be  fired  at  a temperature  sufficient  to 
make  the  body  durable,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
perfectly  fix  the  colors  of  the  painting,  so  that 
there  may  be  no  danger  that  the  glaze  will  cause 
them  to  run  in  the  final  firing.  This  latter  de- 
fect may  also  result  from  an  excess  of  glaze,  and 
where  it  exists  only  in  a very  slight  degree,  pro- 


METHOD  OF  PAINTING  FAIENCE. 


67 


duces  a melting  softness  which  is  very  pleasing. 
This  effect  is,  however,  so  likely  to  be  exaggerated 
to  the  ruin  of  the  work  that  it  is  best  not  to  run 
any  risk  of  the  kind  in  firing,  and  to  depend 
upon  the  painting  alone  for  the  harmonious 
blending  of  the  tints. 

The  temperature  at  which  the  work  is  to  be 
fired,  must,  of  course,  depend  upon  the  qualities 
of  the  clay  of  which  the  piece  of  ware  is  made. 
As  has  been  said  before,  this  clay  should  be  one 
that  does  not  require  an  excessive  degree  of  heat 
in  firing.  The  exact  degree  can  be  estimated  by 
the  potter  who  understands  the  requirements  of 
the  clay  which  has  been  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  the  particular  piece  of  ware  in  question.  It 
may  be  said  that  the  temperature  at  which  Rock- 
ingham ware  is  fired  is  suitable  for  this  work, 
and  that  a glaze  such  as  that  used  upon  that  kind 
of  ware  can  be  used  with  good  results.  It  is 
possible  to  have  a glaze  so  adapted  to  the  body 
of  the  ware  as  to  prevent  it  from  crazing,  and 
yet  preserve  the  brilliancy  of  the  colors. 


68 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


CHAPTER  V. 


MODELING  IN  RELIEF. 

J 

S 


NDER  this  head  may  be 
comprised  the  decorative 
modeling  of  figures  and 
other  designs  upon  pot- 
tery, in  various  degrees 
of  relief.  First,  we  have 
figures  in  relief  forming 
decorations  upon  vases.  These,  as  well  as  other 
designs  in  high  relief,  belong  properly  to  the 
domain  of  sculpture,  and  the  methods  of  pro- 
ducing them  do  not  vary  essentially  from  those 
in  use  in  that  art.  The  final  process  in  this  case 
is  the  firing,  instead  of  the  casting  in  plaster  and 
cutting  in  marble. 

Of  the  methods  of  producing  floral  designs  in 


MODELING  IN  RELIEF. 


69 


relief,  a few  suggestions  may  be  of  use.  These, 
as  well  as  the  painting  described  in  the  previous 
chapter,  must  be  executed  when  the  body  of  clay, 
to  which  they  are  applied,  is  very  wet,  and  the 
applied  clay  must  in  this  case  be,  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible, in  the  same  condition.  If  the  clay  is  not 
in  the  proper  condition,  the  work  will  crack  in 
drying. 

The  vase  which  is  to  be  decorated  being  in  the 
right  state,  a lump  of  clay,  having  the  plasticity 
necessary 'for  modeling,  is  procured.  This  may 
be  of  C.  C.,  a deeper  cream  color,  or  red,  accord- 
ing to  the  color  desired.  White  granite  is  not 
plastic  enough,  and  is,  besides,  liable  to  crack  in 
drying.  But  of  all  white  clays,  parian  forms 
the  most  beautiful  substance  for  this  kind  of 
modeling.  Leaves  and  petals  of  flowers  can  be 
shaped  from  pieces  of  clay,  which  have  been  flat- 
tened to  the  required  thickness,  either  by  press- 
ing upon  a slab  of  plaster  of  paris,  by  means  of 
a weight,  such  as  potters  use  ; or,  if  the  work  is 
not  on  a large  scale,  the  clay  can  be  shaped  in 
the  palm  of  the  hand.  The  forms  can  then  be 


?o 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


cut  with  a sharp  modeling  tool.  If  there 
is  more  moisture  in  these  pieces  of  clay  than 
in  that  which  forms  the  body  of  the  vase,  they 
should  be  allowed  to  remain  a short  time 
upon  a dry  plaster  slab.  The  plaster  will 
quickly  absorb  the  moisture  in  the  clay.  When 
ready,  the  pieces  can  be  placed  in  position  on 
the  vase,  the  places  where  they  are  to  be  applied 
having  been  previously  washed  with  clay  and 
water  (technically  called  “slip”),  or  with  glaze 
water,  to  make  them  adhere.  Stems  are  made  by 
rolling  pieces  of  clay  between  the  palms  of  the 
hands,  or  upon  a flat  surface  of  wet  plaster  or 
wood.  They  are  afterwards  allowed  to  dry,  and 
when  in  proper  condition,  applied  in  the  same 
manner  as  theflowers  and  leaves.  Delicate  touches 
may  be  put  in  with  a brush  dipped  in  clay,  of  a 
proper  consistency  for  painting.  The  forms  of 
the  design  can  be  shaped  and  finished  after  they 
have  been  applied  to  the  vase  by  the  use  of  model- 
ing tools,  and,  finally,  with  a camel’s-hair  brush. 
Thedesign  may  also  bebrushed  overwith  a sponge, 
moistened  with  water,  which  will  also  be  found 


MODELING  IN  RELIEF. 


71 


very  useful  in  restoring  the  smooth  surface  of 
the  ground,  if  it  has  been  injured  in  the  process 
of  modeling. 

After  the  modeling  has  been  completed,  the 
work  should  be  gone  over  with  a modeling  tool, 
and  in  places  where  a mass  of  clay  has  been  at- 
tached to  the  surface,  the  edges  should  be  under- 
cut.  This  will  prevent  cracking.  If  this  pre- 
caution is  not  taken,  a crack  thus  produced  may 
extend  into  the  body  of  the  vase  and  render  it 
unfit  for  firing.  Where  a large  mass  of  clay  oc- 
curs in  the  modeled  design,  it  is  better  to  hol- 
low out  the  projection  from  the  inside  of  the 
vase,  to  prevent  the  cracking  or  warping  of  the 
whole  in  firing,  caused  by  the  unequal  thickness. 

Cracks,  which  may  appear  in  drying,  should 
be  filled,  or,  if  possible,  be  pressed  out  with  a 
modeling  tool,  before  the  piece  is  fired.  If  the 
crack  is  so  deep  that  it  is  necessary  to  fill  it,  the 
place  should  be  cut  open  with  a modeling  tool, 
moistened  with  water,  and  filled  with  clay,  as 
nearly  as  possible  in  the  same  condition  as  that 
upon  the  vase. 


72 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


Flowers  can  he  modeled  in  parian  clay  upon 
a creamy-tinted  ground  with  good  effect.  Vari- 
ous colors  of  deeper  tinted  natural  clays,  or  clay 
which  has  been  artificially  colored  in  the  body, 
can  be  used  as  the  ground  of  such  decorations. 
Light  grounds  are  sometimes  colored  after  the 
first  firing,  in  the  biscuit;  ora  ground  can  be 
painted  in  the  method  described  in  the  previous 
chapter,  while  the  vase  is  soft,  and  the  modeled 
decoration  can  then  be  applied  instead  of  the 
painting. 

Decorations  of  this  character  in  high  relief 
are  frequently  colored  in  natural  tints,  either  un- 
der the  glaze,  in  the  biscuit;  or  over  the  glaze. 
The  taste  of  this  manner  of  finishing  relief-work 
is  somew'hat  questionable,  and  the  same  objec- 
tion might  apply  to  it  as  to  colored  sculpture. 
That  it  has  received  the  sanction  of  the  best  fac- 
tories in  the  world  is  no  proof  of  its  being  in 
accord  with  correct  taste,  as  the  many  (artistic) 
atrocities  of  Dresden  and  Capo  di  Monte  testify. 
Some  of  the  later  Haviland  faience,  however, 
having  a ground  in  the  usual  style  of  that  ware 


MODELING  IN  RELIEF. 


73 


with  decoration  in  high  relief,  colored  with  sub- 
dued tints,  harmonizing  with  the  grounds,  is  so 
artistically  done  that  one  can  hardly  think  it 
open  to  this  objection,  although  it  can  not  be 
considered  an  improvement  upon  the  earlier 
work  of  this  establishment  in  which  the  colored 
decorations  were  simply  painted  upon  the  sur- 
face. 

It  is  only  to  the  use  of  colors  which  imitate 
those  of  nature  upon  modeled  decorations  that 
there  could  be  any  objection.  Relief-work  may 
be  conventional  in  its  form,  or  colored  conven- 
tionally, in  one  color  or  many,  or  gilded,  with 
perfect  taste.  The  latter  method  produces  a fine 
effect,  but,  to  make  it  successful,  the  color  of 
the  ground  should  be  well  chosen,  and  the  design 
simple  in  form  and  not  too  much  detached  from 
the  surface.  The  gilding  looks  best  when  left 
unburnished,  and  should  only  be  rubbed  enough 
to  give  the  effect  of  dead  gold. 

Next,  we  have  applied  designs  in  low  relief. 
These  are  made  in  several  different  ways,  accord- 
ing to  the  effects  desired.  Work  of  this  kind  is 


74 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


more  commonly  executed  by  the  method  used  in 
the  production  of  Wedgwood-ware.  The  designs 
to  be  applied  are  first  modeled  in  clay.  Casts 
are  then  taken  of  the  models  in  plaster  of  paris. 
Clay  of  the  kind  desired  for  the  relief  designs  is 
then  pressed  in  the  mold  and  the  edges  trimmed 
off.  The  design  can  be  removed  from  the  mold 
by  the  aid  of  a flat,  steel  instrument,  with  a 
short,  broad  blade ; or  a palette  knife,  which  when 
pressed  upon  the  clay  adheres  to  it  and  detaches 
it  from  the  mold.  It  can  then  be  transferred  to 
the  piece  of  ware  to  be  decorated,  to  which  it  is 
made  to  adhere  by  the  use  of  “slip,”  as  de- 
scribed before. 

This  method  is  very  useful,  indeed,  indispens- 
able in  the  manufacture  of  such  wares  commer- 
cially, when  the  same  designs  are  to  be  repeated 
many  times,  but  it  is  hardly  to  be  recommended 
for  artistic  work,  except  for  conventional  designs, 
borders,  etc.  This  method  of  casting  the  forms 
in  a mold  may  be  useful,  however,  in  the  repro- 
duction of  leaves  of  intricate  outline,  which  can 
be  made  of  various  sizes,  and,  from  the  plasticity 


MODELING  IN  RELIEF. 


75 


of  the  clay,  can  be  infinitely  varied  in  position 
according  to  the  taste  of  the  worker. 

When  objects  of  delicate  and  intricate  form, 
such  as  threads,  spider’s  webs,  nets,  and  sometimes 
leaves,  are  to  be  represented  in  work  of  this 
character,  it  can  be  accomplished  by  dipping 
threads,  or  nets  of  cotton,  or,  if  leaves,  the  nat- 
ural leaves  themselves,  into  “slip.’*  The  clay 
adheres  to  the  threads,  or  forms,  and  after  it  has 
set  sufficiently,  they  can  be  placed  upon  the  ob- 
ject to  be  decorated.  On  firing,  the  substance 
inclosed  within  the  clay  is  dissipated  and  the  clay 
only,  remains.  Some  very  wonderful  and  beau- 
tiful effects  may  be  produced  in  this  way  ; but, 
as  these  delicate  forms  are  necessarily  very  fragile, 
especially  if  much  detached  from  the  surface, 
they  are  only  suitable  for  articles  intended  solely 
for  ornament. 

Designs  in  low  relief  can  also  be  applied  with 
the  brush  in  the  forms  desired,  which  may  after- 
ward be  shaped  and  finished  by  the  use  of  mod- 
eling tools,  or,  when  dry,  carved  with  steel  in- 
struments. This  latter  is  said  to  be  the  method 


76 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


by  which  M.  Solon  executes  his  exquisite  de- 
signs in  fine  white  clay  upon  ware  which  has  been 
colored  in  the  body.  One  of  the  greatest  beau- 
ties of  M.  Solon’s  work  is  the  transparent 
effect  produced  where  the  clay  has  been  left  so 
thin  as  to  show  the  colored  ground  through. 

Work  in  the  very  slightest  relief  can  be  done 
with  the  brush  alone.  Care  must  be  observed 
in  this,  however,  that  the  application  of  clay  is 
not  so  very  slight  as  to  produce  complete  trans- 
parency upon  firing.  By  a judicious  mixture 
of  work  in  which  the  clay  is  so  heavily  laid 
on  as  to  remain  opaque  after  the  firing,  and  of 
that  which  is  applied  so  thinly  as  to  become 
transparent,  very  delicate  and  beautiful  effects 
can  be  produced  by  the  use  of  white  clay  upon 
colored  grounds. 

The  colored  grounds  in  the  Wedgwood  and 
Solon  ware  are  produced  by  the  use  of  a fine  clay 
body,  which  has  been  artificially  colored  through- 
out, which,  in  the  case  of  Wedgwood,  is  finished 
by  a very  slight  glaze,  and  in  the  Solon  ware,  by 
a full  glaze,  by  which  the  transparent  effects  of 


MODELING  IN  RELIEF. 


77 


certain  parts  of  the  work  are  brought  out.  The 
colors  used  in  the  body  of  these  wares  are  blues, 
dark  greens,  and  olives,  and  also  black.  Where 
it  is  not  possible  for  the  amateur,  for  whom 
these  hints  are  written,  to  obtain  such  wares  for 
decoration,  very  pretty  work  can  be  produced,  as 
has  been  mentioned  before,  by  the  use  of  a body 
of  naturally  colored  clay  upon  which  white  or  a 
light-colored  clay  can  be  applied. 

Relief-work  can  be  finished  with  a full  glaze,  a 
very  slight  glaze,  or  can  be  left  unglazed.  As  a 
general  thing  it  may  be  said  that  the  modeling 
in  a design  in  high  relief  will  look  best  with  but 
a slight  glaze,  or  none  at  all.  The  slight  glaze 
is  called  by  potters  a “smear”  glaze,  and  is 
effected  by  firing  the  work  in  a “ seggar,”  which 
is  glazed  upon  the  inside.  The  unglazed  ware  ab- 
sorbs enough  glaze  from  the  glazed  surface  to  give 
it  a semi-glazed  appearance,  which  is  very  pleasing. 
Work  in  partial  relief,  as  well  as  articles  in 
full  relief,  can  also  be  finished  by  the  application 
of  colored  glazes.  This  is  the  method  by  which 
the  ware  known  at  the  present  time  as  majolica 


78 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


is  produced.  Blue  and  green  glazes  of  this 
kind  are  frequently  to  be  obtained  in  potteries 
in  this  country,  where  they  may  be  applied  to 
work  which  has  been  modeled.  Other  colors  in 
majolica  glazes  are  to  be  had  from  the  dealers,  and 
if  the  colors  desired  can  not  be  applied  at  the  pot- 
tery, the  artist  can  apply  them  with  a brush  in 
the  same  manner  as  paint  is  used  upon  the  bis- 
cuit. The  effect  of  work  of  this  kind  can  also 
be  enhanced  by  gilding  put  on  over  the  glaze. 


INCISING  AND  CARVING. 


79 


CHAPTER  VI. 

INCISING  AND  CARVING  IN  CLAY. 


HESE  are  two  of  the  sim- 
plest as  well  as  most  effec- 
tive methods  of  decorating 
pottery.  We  will  treat 
first  of  incised  work  in 
clay. 

The  piece  of  ware  to  be  decorated  must,  of 
course,  be  in  the  “green”  state;  not  too  wet, 
yet  not  dry  enough  to  be  brittle.  An  outline 
drawing  can  then  be  executed  upon  its  surface 
with  a pointed  modeling  tool,  not  too  sharp,  and 
perfectly  rounded  at  the  point.  If  any  burr  is 
thrown  up  in  the  course  of  the  lines,  it  must  not 
be  brushed  off  until  the  piece  has  become  par- 
tially dry.  The  drawing  can  then  be  brushed 


8g 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


over  with  a stiff  camel’s-hair  brush,  leaving  the 
lines  free.  These  lines  can  now  be  filled  with 
dark  (under-glaze)  paint  (black  is  best),  mixed 
with  a little  gum  arabic  and  water.  In  going 
over  the  lines  some  of  the  paint  will  extend  over 
the  edges ; this  can  be  scraped  off,  when  the 
clay  is  dry,  with  the  edge  of  a sharp  steel  blade, 
two  or  three  inches  long,  held  between  the  fin- 
gers and  thumb.  A broken  knife-blade  will  do 
for  the  purpose.  This  scraping  must  be  very 
lightly  and  carefully  done,  to  avoid  injuring  the 
surface  of  the  ware.  The  surface  may  after- 
wards be  rubbed  over  with  the  very  finest  sand- 
paper, when  entirely  dry. 

The  finish  of  this  work  must  not  be  a full 
glaze,  but  the  “smear”  glaze,  described  in  the 
last  chapter.  A full  glaze  would  fill  up  the  lines, 
and  so  injure  the  appearance  of  the  work.  In 
order  that  the  black  lines  may  be  effective,  the 
ground  of  the  decoration  should  be  rather  light 
in  color.  The  best  colors  for  the  body  of  wares 
to  be  decorated  in  this  way  are  light  cream  color, 
or  a mixture  of  cream  color  and  red  clay,  pro- 


INCISING  AND  CARVING. 


8 I 


ducing  a light  brick-red ; or,  if  they  can  be 
procured,  any  light  colored  clays  which  have  been 
artificially  tinted  in  the  body.  A colored  ground 
for  this  work  can  be  procured  by  having  the 
piece  of  ware  dipped  in  colored  slips.  The  de- 
sign is  then  incised  upon  the  surface,  after  it  has 
become  dry  enough,  in  the  same  manner  as  be- 
fore. The  lines  are  cut  through  to  the  body 
of  the  ware  beneath,  showing  a color  contrasting 
with  that  upon  the  surface  with  good  effect. 
Work  of  this  kind  is  also  executed  upon  stone- 
ware. That  of  Miss  Hannah  Barlow  will  be 
remembered  as  an  instance  of  incised  work, 
in  black  lines,  upon  a red  or  light  brown  body. 
Incised  work  also  appears  upon  the  Lambeth 
stoneware.  It  is  here  used  upon  grey  stoneware, 
with  raised  dots  in  white,  and  colored  with  blue 
glaze.  Incised  decorations  can  also  be  executed 
upon  earthenware  in  this  way.  White  ware  may 
be  used,  and  the  design  drawn  upon  it  in  the 
cc  green”  state.  The  piece  may  then  be  finished 
with  colored  glaze,  which  sinks  into  the  depres- 
sions formed  by  the  lines,  and  so  gives  them  a 


82 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


darker  color  than  the  rest  of  the  surface.  Carved 
work  can  also  be  introduced  with  good  effect  as 
an  accessory  to  incised  work,  and  a few  words  as 
to  this  kind  of  decoration  will  now  be  in  place. 

CARVING  IN  CLAY. 

This  work  can  be  made  very  beautiful  and 
effective  by  those  familiar  with  the  use  of  carv- 
ing tools.  The  tools  used  should  be  short-han- 
dled carving  tools,  and  the  ware  should  be  in  the 
<£  green”  state  and  as  for  incised  work,  neither 
too  wet  nor  too  dry.  Dry  enough  for  clean  cut- 
ting with  the  tools,  and  yet  not  so  dry  as  to  be 
brittle.  When  in  just  the  right  state,  clay  forms 
a fine  substance  for  carving.  As  it  dries  very 
rapidly,  means  should  be  used  to  keep  it  suffic- 
iently moist  until  the  work  is  finished. 

The  outline  can  be  drawn  upon  the  clay  with 
a sharp-pointed  modeling  tool,  and  the  carving 
can  be  executed  with  gouges,  chisels,  and  parting 
tools  of  the  various  shapes  and  sizes  necessary. 
Veining  can  be  done  with  a pointed  modeling 
tool,  and  dots  can  be  readily  incised  by  pressure 


INCISING  AND  CARVING.  8j 

on  the  surface.  Raised  dots  can  be  made  with 
softer  clay  which  has  been  dipped  up  in  a quill 
of  the  required  size,  which  is  then  pressed  upon 
the  surface  at  the  place  where  the  dot  is  desired. 

Carved  work  can  be  finished  by  the  use  of 
sand  paper,  a camel's  hair  brush,  and  water,  or  a 
sponge  ; but  these  should  not  be  used  very  freely, 
as  they  will  injure  the  sharpness  and  cleanness 
of  the  cutting,  which  it  is  desirable  to  preserve. 
Carving  looks  best  when  finished  with  a “smear” 
glaze. 

Another  variety  of  carved  work  can  be  pro- 
duced upon  a vase  which  has  been  previously 
dipped  in  colored  cc  slip/’  The  design  is  then 
cut  through  the  covering  to  the  ground  beneath, 
which  should  be  of  a contrasting  color. 

Another  method  by  which  many  varied  and 
beautiful  effects  can  be  produced  is  that  of  incising 
lines,  and  cutting  or  pressing  designs  into  the  soft 
clay,  which  are  then  filled  with  various  colored  slips. 
The  lines  or  other  designs  should  be  deeply  cut, 
moistened  with  water  and  filled  with  the  colored 
clays,  which  should  be  pressed  into  the  depres- 


84 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


sions  and  allowed  to  dry.  When  dry,  the  sur- 
face can  be  scraped  in  a similar  manner  to  that 
made  use  of  in  finishing  incised  work.  It  should 
be  noted  that  in  this  latter  work  the  body  of  the 
clay  should  be  in  a softer  state  than  would  be 
necessary  for  other  carved  or  incised  work. 

Carving  in  clay,  as  well  as  modeling  and  incis- 
ing can  be  glazed  with  the  colored  majolica 
glazes  with  excellent  effect. 


PAINTING  ON  THE  BISCUIT. 


85 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PAINTING  UPON  THE  BISCUIT. 

FTER  the  ware  has  been  fired 
once  and  is  in  what  is  called 
the  <c  biscuit/’  it  can  be  decor- 
ated by  the  use  of  underglaze 
colors,  in  the  form  of  thin 
washes  resembling  water-color 

o 

painting.  Ware  used  for  this 
purpose  should  be  made  of  white,  or  very  light 
cream-colored  clay,  as  the  colors,  being  used  in 
transparent  washes,  would  be  dimmed,  and  would 
have  their  tints  sullied  by  use  upon  a ground  of 
dark  color. 

On  white  ware  those  colors  should  be  used 
which  will  best  stand  the  heat  necessary  in  the 
firing  and  glazing  of  this  ware.  For  this  reason 
painting  executed  on  white  is  usually  in  mono- 


86 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


chrome,  and  only  the  strongest  colors  are  used, 
such  as  blue,  black,  or  brown.  The  best  effect  is 
produced  by  the  use  of  blue.  This  style  of  work 
is  familiarfrom  the  numerous  pieces  of  Japanese 
ware,  of  porcelain  or  white  earthen-ware,  painted 
in  blue,  which  are  brought  to  this  country. 

The  method  of  painting  is  simple  and  not 
likely  to  prove  difficult  or  uncertain  as  to  its  re- 
sults in  the  hands  of  one  familiar  with  the  use  of 
water  colors.  The  color  generally  used  is  dark 
blue,  and  there  are  several  different  blues  which 
furnish  very  fine  tints.  Among  these  might  be 
mentioned  Emery’s  cobalt  blue,  which  is  excellent 
and  does  very  well  upon  the  white  ware  manufac- 
tured here.  Phillips’  mazarine  blue  and  Harri- 
son’s Persian  blue  are  also  very  rich,  deep  colors, 
the  latter  having  a purplish  tint.  One  of  the 
best  blues,  as  reliable  and  pleasing  in  color  as  any, 
has  been  prepared  by  Mr.  Joseph  Bailey,  of  the 
Hamilton  Road  Pottery. 

The  color  must  be  rubbed  down  until  perfectly 
smooth,  and  should  be  mixed  with  water  and 
enough  gum  arabic  to  keep  it  from  rubbing  off 


PAINTING  ON  THE  BISCUIT. 


87 


in  the  necessary  handling  before  firing.  The  de- 
sign having  been  sketched  upon  the  ware  to  be 
decorated,  with  a lead  pencil,  the  first  washes  may 
be  put  in  with  a light  tint  of  the  blue.  These 
should  be  laid  on  with  a free  hand  and  without 
retouching  before  they  have  dried.  The  darker 
tints  may  then  be  laid  in,  and  lastly  the  deepest 
shadows.  These  should  be  painted  thickly  and 
sharply  to  give  the  proper  depth  of  color.  If 
necessary  they  may  be  painted  over  a second 
time;  care  should  be  taken,  however,  not  to 
have  an  excess  of  paint  in  any  part,  as  that  would 
prevent  the  glaze  from  adhering  to  the  ware. 
The  lines  should  be  particularly  clear  and  sharp, 
as  they  generally  spread  more  or  less  in  the  glaz- 
ing, and  if  they  are  not  well  defined  and  the  shad- 
ows are  not  dark  enough,  the  effect  will  be  blurred 
and  indistinct.  In  this  kind  of  work  clearness 
and  distinctness  are  to  be  desired.  If  the  paint- 
ing is  carefully  executed  and  the  various  degrees 
of  light  and  shade  are  well  preserved,  something 
of  the  effect  of  a painting  in  water  colors  will  be 
produced.  Monochromes  in  brown  and  black 


88 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


are  done  in  the  same  way,  only  that  in  the  case 
of  the  latter  color  it  is  better  to  mix  a very  little 
blue  with  it,  as  that  will  make  it  stand  the  fire 
better.  Before  glazing,  the  ware  should  be  fired 
once  to  “harden  on”  the  colors.  If  the  color 
should  run  in  the  glazing,  the  painting  may  be  re- 
paired by  the  use  of  gilding  over  the  glaze,  by 
which  the  blurred  outlines  may  be  concealed. 
When,  from  the  perfection  of  the  firing,  this  is 
unnecessary,  work  of  this  kind,  and  especially 
that  in  blue,  may  be  very  much  enhanced  by  a 
judicious  use  of  gilding. 

Painting  in  the  Lambeth  or  Bennett  Style. 

This  is  done  upon  a very  light,  cream-col- 
ored ware.  The  method  of  painting  is  similar 
to  that  described  above,  with  the  exception  that 
all  colors  can  be  used.  In  using  the  weaker 
colors,  and  in  mixtures,  the  same  rules  that  have 
been  given  before  must  be  observed.  Colors 
which  do  not  stand  the  fire  very  well,  such  as 
yellow  and  rose  color,  must  be  laid  on  thickly, 
while  in  mixtures,  as  well  as  when  used  alone, 


PAINTING  ON  THE  BISCUIT. 


89 


the  stronger  colors  should  be  used  sparingly. 
In  the  Lambeth  or  Bennett  style  of  painting 
upon  faience,  the  designs  are  either  wholly  or 
partly  conventional.  The  grounds  are  either  left 
the  natural  color  of  the  ware  or  painted.  The 
designs  usually  of  flowers  are  in  natural  colors 
very  slightly  shaded  and  surrounded  by  a dark 
outline. 

The  design  having  been  drawn  upon  the 
surface  with  a lead  pencil,  the  ground,  if  it  is  to 
be -colored,  may  be  laid  on  with  some  color,  or 
mixture  of  colors,  which  will  harmonize  with  the 
decoration.  As  it  is  impossible  to  paint  it 
smoothly  with  a brush,  or  to  do  it  by  any  of 
the  methods  in  use  for  over-glaze  painting,  the 
ground  must  be  “dabbled”  on,  either  with  a 
small  blending  brush,  or  better,  a sponge,  which 
has  been  cut  to  the  proper  shape  and  size,  and 
which  may  be  fastened  in  a quill  and  used  as  a 
brush.  This  is  dipped  in  the  color  which  has 
been  mixed  upon  the  palette,  and  with  it  the 
color  is  applied  to  the  surface  of  the  vase,  pro- 
ducing a mottled  ground,  which  may  be  shaded 


9° 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


from  light  to  dark,  by  the  application  of  more 
or  less  color,  as  desired,  and  also  may  be  varied 
by  the  introduction  of  other  colors  which  will 
harmonize  with  each  other,  and  with  the  decora- 
tion. The  design  may  then  be  painted  in  flat 
washes,  which  should  be  laid  on  freely,  with  the 
shadows  boldly  defined.  This  done,  a line, 
either  of  black  or  dark  olive  green,  made  from 
dark  brown  and  a little  green,  may  be  painted 
around  the  design,  outlining  and  relieving  it 
against  the  ground. 

The  painting  finished,  the  piece  should  then 
be  fired  to  fix  the  colors.  If  necessary,  it  can 
be  touched  up  in  any  places  which  are  thought  to 
need  deeper  tints  after  this  firing,  and  before  the 
final  process  of  glazing.  It  must  be  remem- 
bered, however,  that  the  effect  of  the  glazing  will 
be  to  deepen  the  colors,  and,  unless  the  result 
of  this  process  has  been  learned  from  experi- 
ence, the  tendency  will  rather  be  to  get  them  too 
dark  than  too  light.  The  most  important  thing 
is,  to  keep  the  relative  value  of  the  lights  and 
shadows.  If  this  is  done,  the  effect  will  not  be 


PAINTING  ON  THE  BISCUIT. 


9T 


bad,  even  if  the  colors  should  fade  a little  in 
firing. 

Another  very  important  item  in  under-glaze 
painting,  which  has  been  mentioned  before,  is, 
that  the  colors  must  be  in  proper  condition  for 
use,  and  to  that  end,  must  be  carefully  rubbed 
down  with  a muller  or  palette  knife.  Inatten- 
tion to  this  detail  has  caused  much  work  of 
rude  and  rough  appearance  to  be  produced,  which 
might  otherwise  have  been  fairly  good. 

In  the  Lambeth  and  Bennett  ware  the  charm- 
ing effect  of  color  will  generally  be  found  to 
have  been  produced  by  a system  of  burning 
which  would  scarcely  be  considered  legitimate, 
according  to  the  strict  rules  of  the  potter’s  art. 
The  ware  is  not  fired  in  the  biscuit  as  hard  as 
such  ware  is  usually  fired,  and  the  glaze  applied 
is  softer  than  the  body  of  the  ware  demands. 
This  soft  glaze  is  used  to  save  the  colors,  and 
not  being  suited  to  the  body  of  the  ware  will, 
generally,  be  found  to  be  badly  crazed.  In  this 
case,  however,  lovers  of  beautiful  and  harmo- 
nious colors,  in  the  decoration  of  pottery,  will 


92 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


think  that  the  ends  justifies  the  means,  and  as 
the  articles  are  wholly  adapted  for  ornamental 
purposes,  this  defect  of  glaze  detracts  but  little 
from  their  value. 

Some  work  of  a similar  character  has  recently 
been  done  in  this  city,  however,  in  which  the 
ware  has  been  fired  and  glazed  in  such  a manner 
as  to  make  it  perfectly  durable,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  great  beauty  of  coloring  has  been  retained. 
This  result  is  not  only  important  from  the  fact 
that  it  offers  opportunity  for  the  production  of 
ornamental  wares,  but,  also,  from  the  considera- 
tion that  the  perfection  of  the  firing  and  glazing 
of  the  ware  renders  it  valuable  for  articles  of  use. 
Nothing  could  be  prettier  than  sets  of  table- 
ware made  of  this  cream-tinted  clay,  decorated 
in  colored,  conventional  designs.  This  would, 
we  think,  be  the  perfection  of  ware  for  ordinary 
use,  and  would  form,  with  the  combination  of 
the  delicately  tinted  body  and  the  harmonions 
colors  of  the  underglaze  decoration,  a service 
both  pleasing  to  the  eye  and  very  durable. 

It  is  not  the  province  of  a work  on  under- 


PAINTING  ON  THE  BISCUIT. 


93 


glaze  painting  to  enter  into  the  subject  of  over- 
glaze decoration,  yet  as  they  are  frequently  com- 
bined, mention  may  be  made  of  some  of  the 
varieties  of  decoration  in  which  the  two  processes 
are  used.  The  most  common  form  of  the  union 
of  the  two  methods  is  that  in  which  gilding  is 
used  as  an  adjunct  to  under-glaze  decoration. 
Gold  is  always  applied  over  the  glaze,  as  it 
would  be  utterly  destroyed  by  the  action  of  the 
heat -necessary  in  the  firing  of  any  hard  glaze. 
That  prepared  by  decorators  by  dissolving  gold 
in  aqua  regia  may  be  used,  or  the  ‘‘bright” 
gold,  which  is  obtained  in  a liquid  state.  The 
former  is  the  most  durable,  and  when  fired  can 
be  burnished  or  left  with  a dead  finish,  which  in 
many  cases  has  the  most  pleasing  effect.  The 
“bright”  gold,  as  its  name  indicates,  becomes 
bright  in  the  firing  and  the  burnishing  is  thus 
rendered  unnecessary.  On  a “smear”  glaze  the 
“bright”  gold  produces  a beautiful  dead  gold 
effect,  owing  to  the  dead  surface  of  the  ware  to 
which  it  is  applied.  In  Japanese  wares,  dark 
blue,  under-glaze,  often  appears  in  conjunction 


94 


POTTERY  DECORATION. 


with  gold,  and  also  with  red,  green,  or  other 
colors  which  have  been  put  on  over  the  glaze. 

One  beautiful  result  of  the  combination  of 
over  and  under-glaze  painting  is  seen  in  the  ware 
painted  by  Lemonnier.  In  this  the  ground  is 
generally  painted  under  the  glaze  in  a manner 
similar  to  that  described  in  this  chapter  for  the 
production  of  Lambeth  faience.  The  design  is 
then  painted  with  over-glaze  “relief”  colors, 
and  the  high  lights  laid  in  heavily,  the  whole  pro- 
ducing an  effect  which  combines  the  delicacy  of 
the  over-glaze  colors  with  the  depth  of  the 
under-glaze. 

We  have  tried  to  indicate,  in  the  preceding 
chapters,  the  principal  methods  employed  in  the 
decoration  of  pottery  under  the  glaze.  These 
various  methods  are  combined  with  each  other 
and  with  over-glaze  work  in  so  many  v/ays  that 
it  is  difficult  for  any  but  an  expert  to  distinguish 
in  a given  piece  of  ware  the  many  processes 
which  may  have  combined  to  produce  the  result. 
This  renders  the  subject  more  difficult  to  treat 
comprehensively,  and  these  various  ramifications 


PAINTING  ON  THE  BISCUIT. 


95 


of  the  art  of  under-glaze  painting  can  here  be 
but  indicated.  It  is  hoped,  however,  that  the 
suggestions  given  may  be  sufficient  to  afford  the 
student  of  ceramic  decoration  an  idea  of  the 
various  forms  and  of  the  possibilities  of  the 
art. 


. 


“Lovers  of  art  will  be  interested  in  every  page.  It  would 
be  difficult  to  see  how  the  field  could  be  covered  more  satis- 
factorily than  it  is  done  by  this  beautiful  magazine. — Chicago 
Inter - Ocean . 

THE  ART  AMATEUR. 

A Profusely  Illustrated  Monthly  Jour?ial  Devoted  to 
the  Lultivatio7i  of 

ART  IN  THE  HOUSEHOLD. 


Ai.l  the  features  which  have  made  this  Magazine  so  popular  in  the  past  will 
be  continued.  Among  these  are  : 

1.  “AMERICAN  ART  GAI.EERIES,”  by  “Cicerone”  (Edward 
Strahan),  which  have  already  included  the  Private  Collections  of  the  late 
A.  T.  Stewart,  Ex-Judge  ITenry  Hilton,  Miss  Catharine  Wolfe,  T.  G.  Apple- 
ton,  Esq.,  and  John  Wolfe,  Esq. 

2.  Short  Biographies  of  Contemporary  Artists,  with  Illustrations  of  their 
Works,  which  have  already  included  E.  Moran,  C.  C.  Coleman,  Elihu  Ved- 
der,  E.  A.  Abbey,  Meissonier,  Gerome,  Detaille,  De  Neuville,  Sara  Bernhardt, 
Ad.  Marie,  Whistler,  and  Munkacsy.  Sketches  of  H.  H.  Moore,  F.  Dielman, 
A.  Quartley,  and  others,  are  now  in  preparation. 

3.  Illustrated  Notices  of  Picture  Exhibitions  and  Sales. 

4.  “ The  Print  Collector,”  with  full  and  valuable  Information  for  Collectors 
of  Etchings  and  Engravings. 

5.  Articles  on  “Oriental  Ceramics, ’’  by  Prof.  Wm.  Elliott  Griffis, 
and  on  “ The  China  of  our  Grandmothers,”  by  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Nealy. 

6.  Popular  Articles  on  Furniture  and  Decoration,  by  Clarence  Cook, 
A.  T.  Bloor,  Shirley  Dare,  Thomas  A.  Kennett,  and  others. 

7.  Practical  Illustrated  Articles  on  Art  Needlework. 

8.  Instructive  Accounts  of  Industrial  Art  Work. 

9.  Descriptions  of  Private  and  Public  Collections  of  Bric-k-Brac. 

10.  Illustrated  Summaries  of  New  Art  Publications. 

11.  Answers  to  Correspondents  on  all  subjects  connected  with  Art. 

Full-sized  designs  with  practical  instructions  by 


Prof.  Camille  Piton  and  others,  for  DRAWING, 


SILK,  WOOD,  and  CHINA  PAINTING,  or  ART 


NEEDLEWORK,  will  continue  to  be  given  every 


Month  in  a Four-page  Supplement. 

The  Price  of  The  Art  Amateur  is  FOUR  DOLLARS,  a year,  or  THIRTY- 
FIVE  CENTS  a Single  Copv,  which  is  less  than  half  the  Price  of  any  other 
American  Art  Magazine.  The  Price  of  the  Twelve  Numbers  for  the  First 
Year  is  Six  Dollars. 

MONTAGUE  MARKS,  Editor  and  Publisher, 

Ho.  20  East  Four tee7ith  St.,  Neiv  Fork. 


HOFFMANN  BROTHERS, 


Oil  and  Water  Color  Painting, 

China,  Tile,  and  Pottery  Decoration, 

Crayon,  Lead  Pencil  and  Pastel  Drawing, 
Gilding,  Graining,  Frescoing  & Sign  Writing, 
Chromo-Photography,  Wax  Flowers,  etc. 


Decaleomanie  or  Transfer  Ornaments, 
Verifiable  Deealeomania, 

Silk  Ornaments,  Novelties  for  Decorating. 


IMPORTERS  AND  WHOLESALE  DEALERS  IN 


FOR 


No.  32  West  Fourth  Street 


CINCINNATI,  O. 


Amepicaw  Abt  Review 


A JOURNAL  DEVOTED  TO  THE  PRACTICE,  THEORY, 
HISTORY,  AND  ARCH/EOLOGY  OF  ART. 


S.  R.  KOEHLER 

WM.  C.  PRIME,  LL.D.,  New  York, 
CHAS.  C.  PERKINS,  A.  M.,  Boston, 


Managing  Editor. 
Associate  Editors. 


ffgHIS  NEW  MONTHLY  MAGAZINE  will  embrace  the  art  of  our  own  time 
as  well  as  the  past,  and  will  give  especial  attention  to  the  history  and 
archamlogy  of  art  in  America.  The  illustrations  will  consist  of  tirst-class 
etchings,  engravings,  wood-cuts,  etc.,  but  its  especial  feature  will  be  a series 
ot  original  Painter-Etchings  by  American  artists.  Besides  these 
American  etchings,  each  number  will  contain  etchings  by  celebrated  Eu- 
ropean artists,  such  as  William  Unger,  Leopold  Il^meng,  P.  Rajon, 
etc.  The  “Review  ” will  be  equal  in  quality  to  the  best  European  publica- 
tions of  a similar  nature,  and  will  ne  the  only  truly  representative  American 
Art  Magazine.  Each  monthly  part  win  contain  three  full-page  plates  and 
forty  pages  of  letter-press;  size,  9)4  by  12)4.  Price,  $12.00  a year,  delivered  by 
carrier  or  by  mail. 


LIST  OF  CONTRIBUTORS. 

Mr.  T.  G.  Appleton,  Boston;  Mr.  W.  S.  Baker,  Philadelphia;  Mr.  S.  G.  W. 
Benjamin,  New  York;  Mr.  W.  H.  Bishop.  New  York;  Mr.  Hubert  H. 
Bancroft.  San  Francisco;  Mr.  Alessandro  Castellani.  Rome,  Italy  ; 
Gen.  L.  P.  UiCesnola,  Secretary  and  Director  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum 
of  Art,  New  York:  Mrs.  Ednah  D.  Cheney,  Boston;  Mr.  William  J. 
Clark,  .Jr.,  Philadelphia;  Mrs.  C.  E.  Clement,  Bosion;  Mr.  Clarence 
Cook,  New  York;  Mr.  George  Corliss,  Secretary  of  the  Pennsylvania, 
Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  Philadelphia;  Mr.  Thomas  Davidson, 'Boston ; 
Mr.  J.  Durand.  South  Orange,  New  Jersey  ; Dr.  Jacob  von  Falke, 
Austrian  Mu-euin  of  Art  and  industry,  Vienna,  Austria;  Mr.  E.  II.  Green- 
leaf,  Curator  of  the  Gray  Collection'of  Engravings,  Boston;  Mr.  Charles 
Henry  Hart,  Philadelphia;  Mr.  W.  R.  Hodges,  St.  Louis;  Prof.  Hal- 
sey C.  Ives,  Director  of  St.  Louis  School  of  Fine  Arts,  Washington 
University.  St.  Louis;  Mr.  John  La  Farge.  New  York  ; Mr.  W.  Mackay 
Laffax,  New  York;  Mr.  George  McLaughlin,  Cincinnati;  Dr.  Al- 
fred C.  Lambdin,  Philadelphia;  Mr.  G.  P.  Latiirop,  Boston;  Mr.  W. 
J.  Linton,  New  Haven;  Dr.  G.  H.  Lodge,  Boston;  Mr.  Charles.  G. 
Loking,  Curator  of  the  Museum  of  Fine  Arts,  Boston;  Mr.  William 
Macleod,  Curator  of  the  Corcoran  Gallery  of  Art,  Washington;  Mr. 
Charles  H.  Moore,  Harvard  University.  Cambridge;  P'Ot.  Charles 
E.  Norton.  Harvard  University,  Cambridge;  Mr.  William  R.  O’Dono- 
van,New  York;  Mr.  Theodore  G.  Pinches,  British  Museum.  London  ; 
Maj.  J.  W.  Powell.  Geographical  and  Geological  Survey  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  Region,  Washington;  Mrs.  Margaret  J.  Preston.  Lexing- 
ton, Virginia;  Pi  of.  F.  W.  Putnam.  Curator  of  the  Peabody  Museum  of 
American  Archaiologv  and  Ethnology.  Harvard  University,  Cambridge; 
Mr.  John  Sartin,  Philadelphia;  Prof.  Walter  Smith,  State  Director 
of  Art  Education.  Mussachusetts;  Dr.  J.  M.  Sommerville.  Philadelphia; 
Rev.  H.  G.  Spaulding.  Boston;  Mrs.  Harriet  Prescott  Stofford, 
Washington;  Mr.  W.  I.  Stillman.  Florence  Italy;  Prof.  Russell 
Sturgis,  New  York  College,  New  York;  Mr.  J.  R.  Tait,  Baltimore:  Mr. 
Henry  van  Brunt.  Boston;  Mr.  F.  I’.  Vinton.  Boston;  Mr.  H.  Dumont 
Wagner,  Philadelphia;  Prof.  Wtlltam  R.  Ware.  Massachusetts  insti- 
tute of  Technology.  Boston:  Mr.  H.  C.  Whipple.  Curator  of  the  Phillips 
Collects  o 1 1 of  Engravings.  Philadelphia ; Mr.  W.  H.  Whitmore,  Boston; 
Mr.  P.  B.  Wight.  Chicago. 

ESTES  & LAURIAT,  PUBLISHERS,  BOSTON. 


II^OIDISIIlilEZbT 


too: 


2DT  WOOD  022,  -WXZKOE. 


■TOT rite  for  et  Haist 


And  full  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  everything 
required  in  painting  Limoges.  Biscuit,  Loiigwy, 
Bennett  Ware,  Majolica, or  ordinarv  China  Paint- 
ing, including  BRUSHES,  COLORS,  MODEL- 
ING TOOLS,  ETC. 


EMERY  H.  BABTON, 

ABTISTS’  STIPPIiX&84 

2^  <£z.  20  CIITCIOTITAlTI,  O- 

EVERY  SHAPE  AMD  KIND  OF  MODELING  TOOLS. 

L H.  ABBOTT  & 00. 

IMPORTERS  OF 

Artists’  Materials, 

147  STATE  STREET,  CHICAGO. 


IZSeS’tev'n  Y*ecarctfirt0  T22>ovks. 

DECORATED  UNDERGLAZEWARE 

SUCCESSFULLY  FURED. 

TINDER-GLAZE,  Belief  Enamel  Colors,  and  Pate 

LJ  Relief  Enamels,  can  he  had  at  our  Works;  also  a full  line  of 
LaCroix  Colors  and  Dry  Enamel  Colors  for  Over-Glaze  Painting. 
MW-  Price  list  of  Colors  and  Firing  sent  on  application. 

GRUNEWALD  & SCHMIDT,  106  Randolph  St.,  Chicago. 

RETTIG  & VALENTINE 

Will  give  Lessons  in  Painting  Enameled  Faience  and  all 
* other  kinds  of  Underglaze  Decoration  on  Pottery, 
also  Teachers  of  Water  Color  Painting. 
ROOMS,  NO.  20,  CINCINNATI  COLLEGE  BUILDING, 

East  side  of  Walnut  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  Streets, 

C INC  INNA  TI,  O. 


ES'TLAZBXjISIEXIEIID  1856. 


FREBE1ICK  BALIAS, 

MANUFACTURER  OF 

White  Granite  C,  C.  Goods 

and 

L 


Decorating.  Glazing  and 
fTd.  1 Burning  done  to  order, 

THE  FINEST  MODELING  CLAY  ALWAYS  ON  HAND. 


HAMILTON  ROAD  POTTERY, 

3HEea,d.  ©£  lElrrr  Street, 


Cars  on  Yine,  Route  No.  9, 
pass  the  Pottery. 


CINCINNATI,  O 


N.  B. — Hamilton  Road  is  now  known  as  McMicken  Avenue. 


P.  L.  COULTRY  & CO. 

55,  57,  & 59  Dayton  Street,  CINCINNATI!,  0. 

MANUFACTURERS  OF 

AftTISTIC  rOTTEBV, 

IN  

Plaques,  Vases,  etc., 

Hebe  Pitcher. 

Of  all  sizes  and  shapes,  elegant  in  outline  and  finish,  and  suitable 
for  “Enameled  Faience”  (“Limoges”)  or  “Under-Glaze  Paint- 
ing.” Charges  are  very  reasonable,  and  we  give  special  attention 
to  Firing  and  Glaz'mg  of  our  Ware.  Satisfaction  guaranteed  or 
ho  charge.  Illustrated  Catalogue  furnished  on  application. 

SUPERIOR  MODELING  CLAY  FOR  SALE.-S&^ 

N.  B. — Goods  called  for  and  delivered  to  any  part  of  city  free 
of  charge. 


A.  LACROIX’S  ENAMEL  COLORS, 

FOR  PAINTING  ON  CHINA,  EARTHENWARE,  ETC. 

* In  Tubes  like  moist  Oil  Colors,  or  dry  i*n  Powder. 

Largest  Variety  in  America  of  Mineral  Colors,  Fine  Brushes, 
and  all  Materials  for 

Cincinnati  and  Limoges  Enameled  Faience, 
Longwj  Relief,  Underglase,  Porcelain,  and  Class  Painting, 

Erhard’s  Studies  cf  Flowers,  etc,,  painted  by  hand  to  copy 
from  on  China,  with  directions  attached  which  colors  to  use. 

SEND  FOR  PRICE  LIST  TO 

J.  MARSCH/NG  & CO.,  Importers. 

21  Park  Place,  NEW  YORK. 

ROBERT  CLARKE  & CO. 
|)uWisjjcrs,  booksellers,  Stationers  f Importers 

CINCINNATI,  O. 

HAVE  JUST  ISSUED  A SECOND  EDITION  OF  THEIR 

CATALOG-T7E  OIF1  OEZS  O 3ST  THE 

yinf  SuFte. 

Part  I. — GENERAL:  Art,  Painting,  Sculpture,  Ceramics;  Descriptive, 
Historical,  and  Biographical. 

Part  II.— PRACTICAL:  Drawing,  Painting,  Carving,  Engraving,  and 
Photography. 

Will  he  sent  hy  mail  on  receipt  of  a ti-iree-cent  stamp. 

A LARGE  STOCK  OF  FINE  ART  BOOKS  always  on  hand,  and  special 
attention  given  to  the  collection  of  Rare  Works,  and  the  importation  of 
Foreign  Books.  Letters  of  Inquiry  meet  with  prompt  attention. 

ROBERT  CLARKE  & CO.,  Cincinnati,  O. 


CiMNMEL 


ROBERT  CLARKE  & GO. 


Publish  the  following  Art  Books: 

McLaughlin’s  Pottery  Decoration. 

POTTERY  DECORATION:  Being  a Practical  Manual  of 
Under-Glaze  Painting,  including  complete  details  of  the  authors 
method  of  Painting  Enameled  Faience.  By  Miss  M.  Louise 
McLaughlin.  Square  12mo.  Fancy  boards.  1 00 

McLaughlin’s  China  Painting. 


CHINA  PAINTING.  A Practical  Manual  for  the  use  of 
Amateurs  in  the  Decoration  of  Hard  Porcelain.  Square  12mo. 
Fancy  boards.  75 

Yago’s  Modeling  in  Clay. 

MODELING  IN  CLAY,  I nstructions  in  the  Art  of.  By  A.  L. 
Vago.  With  an  Appendix  on  Modeling  in  Foliage,  etc.,  for 
Pottery  and  Architectural  Decoration.  By  Benn  Pitman,  of  the 
Cincinnati  School  of  Design.  Illustrated.  Sq.  12mo.  Cloth.  1 00 

Carl  Robert’s  Charcoal  Drawing. 


CHARCOAL  DRAWING  without  a Master  A complete  Trea- 
tise in  Landscape  Drawing  in  Charcoal ; with  Lessons  and  Studies 
after  Allonge.  Translated  by  Miss  Elizabeth  H.  Appleton.  Illus- 
trated. 8vo.  Cloth.  ‘ 1 00 

Keller’s  Perspective, 


ELEMENTARY  PERSPECTIVE  Explained  and  Applied  to 
Familiar  Objects,  for  the  use  of  Schools.  By  Miss  M.  J.  Keller,  of 
Cincinnati  School  of  Design.  Illustrated.  12mo.  Cloth.  1 00 


Any  of  the  above  sent  by  mail,  prepaid,  cn  receipt  of  the 
price. 


ROBERT  CLARKE  & CO., 


Cincinnati , Ohio. 


. 


A 


Q 

3 


8454(0 


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* 


